Elderly people's experiences of resistance training

• The aim of the present qualitative phenomenographic study was to identify and describe elderly people's own experiences of resistance training. Eight women and seven men aged 63-87 years were interviewed. The results showed that resistance training was seen as an occupation, a way to get out, as unfamiliar, suitable and controllable. It was experienced to create togetherness and mental acuity and as not being permissible without other elderly people. The training felt good. It was experienced as affecting the body by relieving pain, preventing physical deterioration and illness, and by improving physical function, appearance and the ability to manage daily life. The experienced effects on the mind were increased appetite for life, calmness and enhanced self-esteem. Many different types of training are available to the physically capable elderly, but according to the experiences from the subjects in the present study, resistance training could be a very suitable type of training for the elderly with functional disorders as it is possible to perform despite physical limitations.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Elderly

experience

phenomenography

resistance training

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)