PLURAL RECREATION THEORY: FROM LINEAR RECREATION TO A PARTICIPATION ECOSYSTEM FOR DIGNIFIED LIVING A MONG THAI OLDER ADULTS

Abstract

Amid Thailand’s transition to a super-aged society, the health and human dignity of older adults are increasingly constrained by conventional linear recreation frameworks, which inadequately explain the complexity of participation and functional outcomes. This article aims to: (1) critically examine the limitations of linear recreation theory in explaining the nonlinear interactions between participation and physiological adaptation; (2) develop the Plural Recreation Theory (PRT) as a systems-based framework grounded in the Thai aging context; (3) explain the mechanisms linking recreational participation with functional capacity and functional self-regulation; and (4) propose an analytical framework for designing recreation programs in contemporary Thailand. The study employed an integrative synthesis of knowledge encompassing biological, behavioral, and social-structural dimensions.

          The synthesis revealed that recreation for older adults operates as an open, nonlinear system through four interrelated mechanisms: plural forms, plural dimensions, plural levels, and plural meanings. Together, these mechanisms promote physiological adaptation, integrate physical and psychosocial well-being, reduce barriers to participation, and foster meaning and value in later life. Their combined effects enhance functional capacity and self-regulation, enabling older adults to transition from passive service recipients to active agents in shaping their own lives. The article further proposes shifting recreation design from isolated activities toward an integrated participation ecosystem that combines social structures, physiological adaptive mechanisms, and life values. Such an approach strengthens functional capacity, self-care, quality of life, and the preservation of human dignity as sustainable systemic outcomes for older adults in contemporary Thai society.