J McKenna

The experiences of older people participating in exercise referral schemes

Exercise referral schemes (ERS) have become a major routeway of promoting physical activity with older adults. However, there is lack of evidence regarding the views of older people and their experience from participating in ERS. The purpose of this study was to offer insights into how physical activity (PA) is situated in notions of successful ageing of people participating in ERS and to highlight points for achieving client-based targets through ERS. Thirteen community-living, retired, older adults (five females) with ages ranging from 63 to 79 who were at various stages in their referral programme were selected from three exercise referral schemes in south west England. The respondents chose to participate in either an individual or a group semi-structured interview. Findings stress that ERS clearly disrupt a lifestyle characterised by growing purposelessness and social isolation, offer older participants better physical and mental function and feelings of accomplishment and success. The participants in this study made a range of personally valued improvements through their involvement in ERS. The success of the programmes relies on the general practitioners’ recommendations, the professional help and support from enthusiastic and experienced personnel and the attractiveness of the exercise content which needs to satisfy the multiple needs of the well-being of older adults.

Neighbourhood deprivation and physical activity in UK older adults

The benefits of regular physical activity for older adults are now well-established but this group remain the least active sector of the population. In this paper, the association between levels of neighbourhood deprivation and physical activity was assessed. A sample of 125 males with a mean age of 77.5 (±5.6) years, and 115 females with a mean age of age 78.6 (±8.6) underwent 7-day accelerometry, a physical performance battery, and completed a daily journeys log. Univariate associations between physical activity parameters and level of deprivation of neighbourhood were extinguished in regression models controlling for age, gender, and level of educational attainment. Age, gender, educational attainment, body mass index, physical function, and frequency of journeys from the home explained between 50% and 54% of variance in activity parameters. These results suggest the importance of strategies to help older adults maintain physical function, healthy weight, and remain active in their communities.