title: The meaning of leisure for well-elderly Italians in an Australian community: implications for occupational therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper documents a study that aimed to discover the meaning of leisure experiences for an ageing Italian community in a large regional centre in Victoria, Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  This qualitative investigation used a phenomenological study design, and data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 well-elderly Australian Italians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants engaged in numerous leisure occupations that were meaningful to them and directly impacted on positive subjective experiences and health outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This paper adds to an understanding of how leisure impacts on the health of well-elderly Australians and how occupational therapists can use leisure effectively in interventions for successful ageing.
authors.affiliation: Occupational Therapy Department, Geelong Hospital, Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Stagnitti
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006240:Happiness; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria