Accessible social tourism as a social policy strategy for healthy ageing: the relationship between tourism and functional health in older adults

Abstract

The number of dependent elderly people is increasing in the European Union, which can be linked to demographic and epidemiological changes. This represents a challenge for the sustainability of the European governments and families, who must react to the increasing need of long-term care. In response to this situation, national and international organisations have started to take measures to prevent dependency situations and improve the health, independent living and quality of life of older adults. In this context, tourism, as a widely available service and resource and due to its relationship with health benefits, could be used as a strategy to promote healthy and active ageing and limit the number of dependent older people in the future.

This chapter is an initial enquiry into its field that analyses the relationship between travel activity and functional health in older adults. Thirty older adults who travelled

and thirteen who did not travel during the previous year (n = 43) were randomly selected

from six centres that organise leisure activities for elderly people in the city of Valencia and surroundings (Spain) during the year 2011. The two groups were compared in the following variables, collected through a questionnaire composed by both self-designed and standardised instruments: (i) participation in tourism during the previous year, (ii) functional health (self-perceived health, functional capacity, and social integration), (iii) the use of social and health services and (iv) socio-demographic data.

The research showed positive relationships between tourism and elderly people's self-perceived health and functional capacity for carrying out the instrumental activities of daily life. These findings provide initial evidence that tourism has the potential to promote healthy and active ageing and highlight the need for further research in this field.