Is exercise helpful for women aged 50 and over with mental health problems and what are the barriers to exercise?

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of exercise on the mental health problems of older women. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on information from academic literature, government publications and publications from other relevant bodies. It is a scoping study and is not a systematic review because of the constraints of the resources. Findings There is growing evidence about the value of exercise for the mental health of older women but few evaluated examples of how this can be achieved. Research limitations/implications There is a gap in the literature about this topic with few evaluated examples of how more older women can be encouraged to take more exercise. Practical implications Policy makers, practitioners and older people themselves would gain from a greater emphasis on exercise as a means of improving quality of life and for reducing healthcare budgets through fewer referrals to services. Social implications Greater emphasis on exercise for older women would increase their quality of life through a reduction in mental health problems. Originality/value There is limited research which links mental health, exercise and older women, especially regarding the barriers to exercise that older women with diagnosed mental health problems may face.