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Joy, Jobs, and Sweat: Older Adults' Physical Activity During COVID-19 Lockdowns in New Zealand.

Authors
  • Chamussy, Lisa1
  • Morgan, Tessa1
  • Morgan, Kathryn1
  • Williams, Lisa1
  • Wiles, Janine2
  • Gott, Merryn1
  • 1 School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland,New Zealand. , (New Zealand)
  • 2 School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland,New Zealand. , (New Zealand)
Type
Published Article
Journal
Journal of aging and physical activity
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2023
Volume
31
Issue
6
Pages
897–908
Identifiers
DOI: 10.1123/japa.2022-0377
PMID: 37263596
Source
Medline
Keywords
Language
English
License
Unknown

Abstract

This qualitative narrative correspondence study investigates older adults' experiences of physical activity (PA) during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This paper presents a reflexive thematic analysis of 501 letters received from 568 participants that discussed PA. Participants described PA as bringing joy and rhythm to daily life under stay-at-home measures. The most frequently discussed forms of PA included exercising, gardening, and housework. Four interconnected conceptual themes identified were as follows: (a) renegotiating environmental relationships, (b) social connection, (c) pleasure and PA, and (d) navigating active aging discourses. This paper emphasizes the important environmental and social motivations for becoming and remaining physically active despite restrictions on movement. Older adults' understandings and performance of PA were heavily shaped by active aging discourses. As such, we suggest that initiatives seeking to promote PA should foreground older adults' feelings of connection, productivity, and pleasure and recognize their diversity. This is contrary to current recommendations focused on duration or intensity of older adults' PA.

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