| The problem of this inquiry was to conduct an in depth case study of the meaning of leisure for four women diagnosed as HIV-positive or with AIDS, age 50 or older, and their self selected female family caregivers. The study investigated the pre-and post infection meanings of leisure identified by the older woman diagnosed as HIV-positive or AIDS and their female family caregiver. Common and individual themes of the meaning of leisure for women in the HIV-positive dyads were compared with women in the AIDS dyads as a means of investigating Carstensen's (1987) socioemotional selectivity theory and its applicability to the study of leisure behaviors.; A participatory case study design was implemented using a method of data collection known as Photovoice. A total of 4 dyads were recruited in two Midwestern states. Two of the dyads included older women diagnosed as HIV-positive and two dyads included older women diagnosed with AIDS. Female family caregivers who had known the older woman for a minimum of 4 years were recruited to participate. Each participant took photographs of their leisure pre- and post-infection/AIDS. Participants shared their leisure stories and defined the meaning of leisure through individual and dyad interviews. A sorting technique was implemented as a means of gathering information about the value each participant placed on each form of leisure described. Leisure satisfaction information was gathered using Cantril's Self-Anchoring Scale. In addition to the photographs, rating scale, and interview transcripts, participatory observations, field notes, journaling, and written descriptions of leisure served to ensure the trustworthiness of the study.; Researcher subjectivity was controlled by using triangulation and the participatory method of photovoice. Data were analyzed using a constant comparison method. Findings suggested that the meaning of leisure changed for both the older woman and the female caregiver from pre- to post-infection/AIDS. Themes related to: (a) purple recreation, (b) animals, (c) time, (d) outdoors, and (e) travel were documented in the pre-infection/AIDS leisure. Themes of: (a) escape, (b) spirituality, (c) nature and life, (d) time, (e) animals, and (f) creativity were reported in the meanings of post-infection/AIDS leisure. Implications of the findings on theory were addressed. |
