LEC4: Older Adult Perspectives on Physical Activity

Question 1

Where does Ageism come from in the fitness and health industry? (Jin & Harvey, 2021): self-imposed ageism

Answer 1

the majority of studies indicated that older adults tended to attribute their physical and mental changes to their age and, in turn, influenced their decline of physical activity
- Eg. Wheaton (2017) showed that stereotypes of age appropriate activity prevented older beginner surfers from embarking on youth-dominated sports.

Question 2

Where does Ageism come from in the fitness and health industry? (Jin & Harvey, 2021): other-directed ageism

Answer 2

most of the reviewed articles discussed that older adults mentioned that they were stereotyped or that they had experienced discrimination because of their age when engaging in exercise or interacting with fitness instructors, health professionals, and family members because of their age.

• Kirby and Kluge’s (2013) case study, regarding an older women’s volleyball team, illustrated the interpersonal constraints when family members and friends questioned the legitimacy of participating in physically demanding sports such as volleyball.

Question 3

Four identifies themes of ageism in the fitness and health industry

Answer 3

1. Older adults’ perceptions or misperceptions of aging and exercise
2. Exercise motivation
3. Opportunities for older adults
4. Ambiguous positionality as older exercisers

Question 4

Theme 1: Deconstructing ageist beliefs about aging and LTPA (Massie & Meisner, 2019)

Answer 4

Participants believed that these (mis)conceptions of aging and LTPA led them (at least initially) and other older adults to use being ‘too old’ as an excuse to not engage in, or disengage from, LTPA.
- These findings indicate that aging expectations and beliefs that present the older adult as declining, inactive, incapable, or weak affect leisure interests and preferences as well as lessen the perceived feasibility or effectiveness of moderate to vigorous LTPA participation in later life
- The use of chronological age as the focal predictor of physical abilities was unlearned through realized improvements in physical capabilities of LTPA participation over time.

Question 5

Theme 2: Ageism with LTPA participation (Massie & Meisner, 2019)

Answer 5

Negative forms of ageism
- Eg. “When we go on these long bike trips, people keep telling us that it’s, kind of like, not ‘normal’ at our age and that we should think about doing other, shorter trips. But it doesn’t hurt us. So we just keep on doing it and feeling good about it.”
- Eg. “don’t you think it’s time now that you went down to one [step riser]?”

Positive forms of ageism
- Moments were recalled when they were praised, even idolized, for their higher-intensity LTPA engagement.
- Most participants indicated some level of confusion, frustration, shame, or at least indifference when detailing their encounters with others who pointed out how uncommon it is for an older person to engage in moderate to vigorous LTPA.

Question 6

Theme 3: Lack of LTPA opportunities for older adults (Massie & Meisner, 2019)

Answer 6

• In their attempts to find personally meaningful and enjoyable LTPA, it was evident from participants’ accounts that the available leisure and recreation opportunities for active older adults were either nonexistent, unappealing, and/or inappropriate for older adults with higher levels of physical functioning.
• As a result, most participants detailed how they had to take it upon themselves to generate their own LTPA and physical recreation initiatives.

Question 7

Themes from Ariane S. Massie and Brad A. Meisner

Answer 7

1. Theme 1: Deconstructing ageist beliefs about aging and LTPA (Massie & Meisner, 2019)
2. Theme 2: Ageism with LTPA participation (Massie & Meisner, 2019)
3. Theme 3: Lack of LTPA opportunities for older adults (Massie & Meisner, 2019)