Opportunities to be active in retirement villages and factors associated with physical activity in residents
Aoi Yoshihara 1 , Katherine Bloomfield![https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6679-1763](/media/client/orcid_16x16.png)
![https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6792-6607](/media/client/orcid_16x16.png)
1 Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
2 Older Adult Services, Waitematā District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand.
3 Waitematā Clinical Campus, North Shore Hospital, PO Box 93503, Takapuna, Auckland 0740, New Zealand.
Journal of Primary Health Care 15(1) 6-13 https://doi.org/10.1071/HC22103
Published: 18 November 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Introduction: Physical activity (PA) in older people is associated with improved morbidity and mortality outcomes. Increasing numbers of older people are choosing to live in retirement villages, many of which promote themselves as providing opportunities for activity.
Aim: To explore the characteristics of PA village residents were undertaking and the associated individual and village factors.
Methods: Health, functional and wellbeing information was collected from 577 residents recruited from 34 villages in Auckland, New Zealand, using an International Resident Assessment Instrument and customised survey tools containing items on self-reported PA. Managers from villages completed a survey on village characteristics and facilities.
Results: The mean age (s.d.) of village residents was 82 (7) years, and 325 (56%) reporting doing one or more hours of PA in the 3 days prior to assessment. Moderate exercise was performed by 240 (42%) village residents, for a mean (s.d.) of 2.7 (3.4) h per week. The most common activities provided by villages included: bowls/petanque (22, 65%) and exercise classes (22, 65%), and walking was the most common activity undertaken (348, 60%). Factors independently associated with PA included individual factors (gender, fatigue, constipation, self-reported health, number of medications, moving to village for safety and security, utilising village fitness programme, use of the internet, and satisfaction with opportunities to be active) and village-related factors (access to unit, and ownership model).
Discussion: PA uptake is determined by many factors at both personal (physical and psychosocial) and environmental levels. Clinicians should focus on individualised PA promotion in those with identified risk factors for low levels of PA.
Keywords: ageing exercise, facilities, housing for the elderly, independent living.
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