Exploring the well-being of senior citizens through daily activities from the lens of the photovoice approach in Kuala Terengganu

Author : Yuzana Mohd Yusop

Abstract : The activities conducted by retired senior citizens symbolise the well-being of the life they lead, thus avoiding the feeling of emptiness in life. Correspondingly, this study employed a photovoice approach, aiming to understand the well-being of senior citizens in their daily activity routines, which they incorporate into their lives following retirement. It enabled participants to express their well-being activities through photographs. Accordingly, each participant was asked to take photos of their preferred activity daily, illustrating the time they devoted to routines undertaken after retirement. As such, a total of 15 senior citizens participated in the study, and 420 photos were collected. Subsequently, participants were invited to describe the reasons for taking these photos by writing a caption when sending the photos to the researchers. In particular, two sessions of focus group discussion (FGD) were conducted with the participants, who were asked to discuss and elaborate on the meaning of their photos. The analysis revealed four main themes: (1) focus on ibadah; (2) planting plants; (3) spouse or friends outing; and (4) money-making hobbies. These themes are pillars of wellbeing, guiding how senior citizens spend their time after retirement to facilitate ageing in place. Overall, our findings suggest that the activities undertaken by senior citizens in this research after retirement demonstrate their efforts to care for their well-being, fulfil their time, and avoid loneliness and boredom in their daily routines.

Keywords : Photovoice, senior citizens, well-being, qualitative.

Conference Name : International Conference on Nursing Science and Practice (ICNSAP-26)

Conference Place : Perth, Australia

Conference Date : 6th Apr 2026