Abstract:

Recreational activities are very important for a successful aging. In health protection, improving (physiological, psychological, and sociological) support and recreational activities support increases both social support and life satisfaction in older adults. The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of social support that the elderly perceived as a result of the recreational activities they participated in on their perceptions of life satisfaction. Perceived Social Support and Life Satisfaction scales were used to collect data in the study and the questionnaire was administered to 528 individuals between the age of 45 and 90. Descriptive statistics, t test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, simple linear regression and model fit indices were used in the analysis of the data. As a result of the findings older adults had average perceptions of social support and life satisfaction, and their perceptions of life satisfaction differed according to age, marital status and income, but not according to gender and participation in recreational activities, Perceived Social Support was positively associated with Life Satisfaction, and Perceived Social Support positively affected Life Satisfaction. In third age tourism, orientation of elderly individuals to active recreational activities, it will increase their subjective well-being.

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