Do art and music making activities contribute to health and health-related quality of life in older women?

The World Health Organization described ‘‘active ageing’’ as the ‘‘process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age’’. In understanding how to optimise health, researchers have focused on changing behaviours relating to illness such as smoking, poornutrition or inadequate physical activity. Less research attention has been given to behaviours that may contribute directly to health and quality of life as we age; behaviours such as participating in art or music making activities. Existing research suggests these types of activities may contribute to physical, cognitive and mentalhealth.