隨著高齡化社會的來臨,高齡者的照護問題越受重視、照護方式也日趨多元,而機構式照護也日漸成為除了傳統由家庭子女照顧父母以外的選擇模式之一。在遷移的過程中,許多高齡者仍會因為生活型態和居住環境的改變而面臨適應的困難,學者Chenitz(1983)指出克服新入住住民適應的策略即為幫助新住民在機構中開始另一個可以延續過去生活模式的新生活以維持自我及自尊,而休閒的持續參與可成為高齡者與過去習慣連結的最佳方式,故本研究試圖從適應策略與休閒相關理論與研究的交叉討論中剖析持續休閒參與對機構生活適應的影響。Atchley(1989)所闡述的持續理論,支持了休閒參與模式的外在及內在持續在入住機構的轉渡過程中可被視為幫助新住民再社會化以適應新生活的策略之一,對於調適期間所需克服的各項任務:包括強化個人的存在意義及重要性、勇於面對現實及回應外部環境的改變、維持與他人的關係、穩定情緒不受外界刺激影響、以及維持高度的「自我」及「自主」等可產生正面的影響。
The transition from home to long-term care is destabilizing for new residents. There are unsettling changes to familiar life style and living environment. Chenitz (1983) stated that creating continuity with aspects of prior lifestyle helps new residents ease into their new situation and retain ego strength and self-esteem. A good strategy might be for the residents to continue previous leisure activities and sport participation. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of participating in familiar leisure activities on adjustment to relocation to residential care based on Continuity Theory (Atchley, 1989). Prior studies report that engaging in leisure activities enables people to maintain internal continuity and external continuity as a benefit of leisure participation. They addressed the influence of internal continuity (e.g., psychic structure of ideas, temperaments, affects, experiences, preferences, dispositions and skills) or external continuity (e.g. physical and social environments, role relationship, and activities) on newly placed residents to: (a) ”reveal the meaning of changing lifestyle and being existence in the world(or society)” gain understanding that the new lifestyle has for them and their value to society; (b) confront reality and respond to requirements in the external environment (i.e. the institution); (c) sustain relationships with family members and friends as well as others (e.g. peers and staff in the institution); (d) sustain psychological well-being and decrease emotional distress; and (e) preserve self-image and maintain a sense of competence and mastery.