ABSTRACT
This paper reports the findings of a study that was undertaken to (1) identify differences in social participation patterns among racial/ethnic and gender groups, (2) examine the association between physical dysfunction and church and club attendance, and (3) explore opportunities for social work interventions that improve the quality of life of older Americans. The study was based on a national sample representative of the 39 million Americans age 60 and over.
The data indicate that those who attended both church and club meetings had the lowest levels of physical dysfunction; those who attended one but not the other had intermediate levels of dysfunction, and those who did not attend church and also did not attend club meetings had the highest dysfunction levels. These findings suggest that physical limitations 98reduce participation in social activities at church and in clubs, which may limit access to social support for older persons that could benefit the most from it. Social workers should seek ways of identifying natural support systems when working with older adults to help provide social participation opportunities for older persons, especially those that may have access and mobility problems due to physical limitations.
