Older Adult & Physical Activity Engagement Workshops – Learning
Introduction
The Older Adult and Physical Activity Engagement Workshops, conducted by Active Kent & Medway in partnership with Kent County Council Public Health, aimed to understand why older adults are not as active as they could, or want to be, and how to address these barriers. The goal was to develop attractive and local activities and information to help older adults remain independent for longer.
Four workshops were held:
- Two in-person workshops with older adults in East and West Kent.
- Two online workshops for stakeholders in East and West Kent.
A total of 13 service users and 11 stakeholders participated.
Key Findings
Stakeholder Insights
Challenges: Stakeholders often face capacity, funding, and marketing knowledge limitations. They also struggle with finding qualified instructors who understand the needs of older adults.
Support Needed: Stakeholders expressed the need for staff training, sustainable funding, and better collaboration between organisations. They also highlighted the importance of minimizing paperwork and processes.
Perceptions and Communication: There is a need to challenge older adults’ perceptions of classes and improve communication skills among younger instructors.
Service User Insights
Barriers: Older adults face barriers such as transport, cost, time, lifestyle, and class availability. These barriers differ between working and retired older adults
Motivations: To encourage more activity, older adults prefer sessions that include social elements, are local, accessible by public transport, and take place in comfortable spaces.
Activity Preferences: Popular activities include dancing, Tai Chi, swimming/aqua aerobics, yoga and Pilates, bowls, box fit, and walking.
Feedback
“I see some of the younger instructors and I just think there is a wealth of knowledge but a lack of communication skill when dealing with and working with older adults”
“It's finding somewhere that's easy to get to, isn't costing a fortune, doesn't involve memberships or signing up, something that you could just drop into.”
“The paperwork and the process becomes the priority, and we lose touch of what needs to happen, which is getting people moving.”
“Call them strength, mobility and balance classes - what does Postural Stability mean to the general public?”
“Older people tend to stay in their postcode area - venues need to be close to them.”
“Love the idea of taster sessions, don't want to commit to a programme unless I know I enjoy it.”
Conclusions
Older adults recognise the benefits of being active but face various barriers. Understanding these barriers and motivations is crucial for providing the right activities in the right places. Better collaboration and partnership between health, community, and sports organisations are essential for coordinated activities and changing perceptions.
Next Steps
- Enhance collaboration between organisations.
- Provide targeted support and training for stakeholders.
- Develop and promote activities that cater to the specific needs and preferences of older adults.
Active Kent & Medway would like to thank all the Stakeholders and Service Users who participated in the Workshops. Their input and feedback was invaluable.
Contact Us
If you’d like to discuss the findings of the Postural Stability Workshops, please contact Elise Rendall, Strategic Lead – Health and Physical Activity, elise.rendall@kent.gov.uk