Developing a Social-Ecological Model for Promoting Physical Activity Among Older Adults Based on the Experiences of 50+ Adults

Abstract

Various programs have been developed in different countries to encourage physical activity (PA) of older adults; however, older adults themselves have rarely been included in the development of such interventions. This article explores the meanings that people aged 50 years and above attribute to PA and their own engagement in PA, in the framework of a social-ecological model (SEM). In particular, we focus on the motivations and barriers they identified to their PA. We draw on focus group interviews with 44 older adults between the ages of 50 and 80 years, based in Estonia. Our findings suggest that it is important to use an expanded definition of PA (in older age), to include the diverse and perhaps unexpected ways in which people use their bodies and keep fit in different contexts. Based on our findings, we offer developments to existing versions of the SEM, highlighting the interconnectedness of all of its levels and propose ways to encourage PA of older adults.