READING INTERESTS OF OLDER ADULTS

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Abstract
There is a paucity of research concerning the reading interests of older adults. However, what exists tends to support the conclusion that these adults do not enjoy science fiction books, depressing books, books that are frank about sex or contain violence, or books that have confusing plots or many characters. They have less need for vocational or professional reading materials and greater needs for materials which keep them creative and functioning at their maximum capability. Furthermore, the presently available research tends to indicate that what older adults do prefer to read includes light romance with no sex, biographies, books in large print, westerns, mysteries, travel books, fiction, the Bible, and the newspaper. It appears, however, that the interests vary as widely as the readers themselves. Thus, efforts should be made to provide them with a wide variety of reading materials.