Date of Award

12-1982

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Donald C. Weaver

Second Advisor

Dr. John Nangle

Third Advisor

Dr. Larry Schlack

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Roger Zabik

Abstract

The focus of this study was the community agencies and/or educational institutions in Kalamazoo County directly involved with older adults and their use of leisure time.

The purposes of this study were (a) to determine the types of organizations that provide leisure counseling services to older adults; (b) to determine the specific kinds of leisure counseling services provided for older adults; (c) to determine the problems that are related to the provision of leisure counseling services for older adults; (d) to determine the perceived need for leisure counseling services for older adults among organizations; (e) to determine the differences that may exist between type of organization and specific kinds of leisure counseling services, related problems, and perceived need; and (f) to make recommendations regarding the improvement of leisure counseling services for older adults in Kalamazoo County.

A total of 70 Kalamazoo County organizations, selected by a panel of experts, comprised the sample for this study.

A questionnaire was used to solicit information and perceptions from the organizations in the sample.

The major conclusions drawn from this study were: (1) Whereas one or more organizations within each type of agency and/or institution included in the present study provided some leisure counseling services, most leisure counseling services were provided by residential, neighborhood, health, and recreational/leisure type organizations. (2) Whereas some of each organizational type represented in this study provided some kind of leisure counseling services to older adults, information and referral, progamming, and individual and group counseling were the most frequently reported services. (3) Whereas all of the organizational types experienced some difficulties in delivering services to older adults, health and social service organizations appeared to encounter more problems than did other groups. Personal income was the most frequently reported problem in delivering services to clients in the organizations studied. (4) Whereas the majority of the human services leaders in the present study perceived the importance of and need for leisure counseling services for older adults, most of the leaders in social service organizations did not.

Recommendations to Kalamazoo County community agencies and/or educational institutions providing leisure counseling services to older adults and recommendations for future research were presented.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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