Challenges to Engaging Older Adults in a Group-Based Walking Intervention : Lessons From the Residents in Action Trial

• This qualitative research explored older adults' perceptions of participating in group-based walking programs set in independent-living retirement village contexts. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a subset of participants from the Residents in Action Trial. Data were analyzed through a combination of deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Findings were interpreted from a social identity perspective. Five themes were identified: (a) varying levels of social cohesion in retirement villages; (b) degree of shared identity between residents; (c) health, mobility, and preferred pace; (d) devotion to spouse; and (e) busy lives. When designing group-based walking interventions in retirement villages, it is important to consider community-level social cohesion and degree of relatedness between village residents. When attempting to build a sense of shared identity and relatedness between group members, researchers and policy makers should consider differing backgrounds, capabilities, schedules, and interests of participants.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap -- Kommunikationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications -- Communication Studies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Retirement villages

Self-determination theory

Social identity

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)