The Value of "Fun" and "Play" for Adults in Fighting Disease
The Value of "Fun" and "Play" for Adults in Fighting Disease
The Value of "Fun" and "Play" for Adults in Fighting Disease
By Karl Kapp
March 24, 2023
Summary
Sure, we all kinda believe that adults should play and have fun.
The article titled "The importance of having fun: Daily play among adults with type 1 diabetes" written by Meredith Van Vleet, Vicki S. Helgeson, and Cynthia A. Berg in 2019 outlines a study investigating the concept of using fun and play to help fight a disease and how it may be helpful.
So what does that mean practically? The authors indicated that when they spoke to adult couples aged 65 an older, the concept of play included statements such as "Playing cards and board games," "Going to Bingo," "Competing against each other and the contestants while watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune," "Playful bantering".
Play is thought to serve a bonding function between partners Play provides a safe context in which partners can relate to each other, express themselves, and become more adept at reading each other's nonverbal and verbal expression.
"The one element of their hypothesis not liked to play was that daily play was unrelated to self-care." The author's indicated that while play did predict improved perceived problem-solving and more open diabetes communication between partners it did not translate into better self-care.
This study is interesting for it's link to fighting disease through play and fun but it is far from the only connection.
Van Vleet M, Helgeson VS, Berg CA. The importance of having fun: Daily play among adults with type 1 diabetes.
Reference
Kapp, K. (2023, March 24). The value of “fun” and “play” for adults in fighting disease. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/value-fun-play-adults-fighting-disease-karl-kapp/