"More of the same is not enough": New Directions in Ageing and Physical Activity

The issue:

There are currently more people over the age of 60 than ever before. The Office of National Statistics have projected that the number of people age 60 years and over will increase by 50% in the next 25 years. These demographic changes are important because people generally become less physically active as they grow older. This can be detrimental to their health and well-being and has subsequent health and social care costs.
Researchers have been investigating the relationship between physical activity and health for a long time. Consequently, much is known about which diseases can be prevented through physical activity, and how much and how often activity should be undertaken. This information is useful, but it does not negate the fact that there are still lots of older people who are inactive.

Recently, leading scientists have said that if we are to encourage people to integrate health behaviours like physical activity into their everyday life, conducting research to reconfirm that physical activity is beneficial is not enough. Instead, they say that we need to know more about the different environments, which can enable or deter physical activity in older age and shape how it is experienced. This includes people's physical environments (e.g. their access and proximity to woodlands, parks etc.) and also their social and cultural environments (e.g. the impact of their ethnicity, gender, interaction with healthcare etc.). Social scientists are well qualified to investigate issues like these.

Our response:

Our seminar series will bring together academics from different subject areas (e.g. sociology, psychology, geography, sport and health sciences), policy makers, health and social care practitioners, physical activity and sport providers, and those working within the voluntary and statutory sectors. Each seminar will focus on a specific issue relevant to the physical, social and cultural environments that can impact upon physical activity (PA) in older age. Specifically; (i)competitive sport in later life, (ii)physical activity during lifecourse transitions, (iii)how gender impacts upon physical activity involvement - and vice versa, (iv)experiences of physical activity amongst hard to reach groups (e.g. ethnic minorities), (v)community based initiatives to promote physical activity, (vi)E-health, (vii)PA in the outdoor natural environment, (viii)the process of using research to inform policy and practice.

Leading experts from the UK and abroad will share their knowledge and direct discussions with seminar participants. This process will advance what we currently know about the topic and also identify aspects that we don't know about that require more research. It will also enable a large group of people (from research, policy and practice backgrounds) with a shared commitment to healthy ageing to establish themselves as a 'network'. The network members will continue to communicate and collaborate with each other both during and beyond the lifetime of the seminar series.

Who will benefit and how:

The seminar series is intended to have strong and distinctive impacts in academic, policy and user communities. This will be achieved by advancing understanding of (i)physical activity engagement in older age in ways that go beyond 'how much' and 'how often', (ii)the value of using different disciplines (i.e. subject areas) and research methods to generate knowledge about this topic. Policy contributions will be made regarding how best to promote healthy ageing, through physical activity involvement. Impact will also occur through the inclusion of older participants in the co-production of research knowledge, and in the training of early career researchers to continue championing this research area. Working closely with Core Partners (British Heart Foundation, Birmingham Public Health, Sporting Equals) will enhance the research teams understanding of the relationship between research and policy.

The seminar series will create the first substantive contribution in its area. It will establish new directions in research and practice around ageing and physical activity (PA) through a focus on how social, cultural and physical environments can enable and deter activity happening and shape how it is experienced.

To maximise the impact, we have engaged with partners throughout its design. Initial discussions took place at the Moving Stories project (Ref: ES/I009779/1) end of award event held in July 2013. Non-academic beneficiaries are numerous and varied (e.g. AgeUK, Sport England, Sporting Equals, Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation, Natural England, Ramblers Association, National Trust, British Heart Foundation). Many will contribute to the programme as invited speakers and continue their involvement throughout the execution and dissemination stages of the series.

Main beneficiaries and how will they benefit from the seminar series? (refer also to Academic Beneficiaries, Pathways to Impact, Case for Support):

1) NHS/Public Health: The seminars will provide discussion and clarification of evidence and facilitate the development of transferable, systematic research methodologies. This will allow bodies such as the new local Health and Wellbeing Boards to tailor their evidence, communication and practice regarding PA in older age (e.g. Seminars 1,2,4,5,8). A focus on E/M-Health (e.g. Seminar 6) will be especially valuable for attempts to design and implement increasingly cost effective forms of (preventative) health care.

2) Social care: The outcomes of these seminars will provide the resources needed to identify environments, which are welcoming to older adults within specific social groups, and communities (e.g. certain ethic groups, gender, care settings), who are typically excluded from PA interventions and therefore the benefits they may afford (e.g. Seminars 3,4).

3) Local authorities (e.g. Sport Partnerships, Environment & Planning departments): Seminars will help to inform local and regional programmes aimed at improving community health and wellbeing through the provision of opportunities to be PA (e.g. Seminars 2,5), including those associated with green infrastructure, environmental interventions, open space and access (e.g. Seminar 7).

4) Business and Industry (including sports clubs, leisure providers): Understanding social, cultural and physical environments that impact on older adults experiences of and involvement in PA has direct relevance to marketing strategies and product / service development (e.g. Seminars 1,2,3). Impact here will be further realised through two additional 'Business & Enterprise' events hosted by the University of Exeter (refer to Pathways to Impact, Justification of Resources).

5) Community Groups: Good quality evidence could be used to justify and support community group applications for funding for the preservation and development of local activity groups (as proposed under the Localism Bill). These groups will also benefit from knowledge of evidence-informed community-based initiatives designed to promote active ageing (e.g. Seminar 4). The applicants have established relationships with a variety of Community Groups (e.g. Cornwall Neighbourhoods for Change, Westbank Healthy Living Centre).

6) Government departments (e.g. Department of Health [primary]; Department of Work & Pensions [secondary]) tasked with managing and protecting the wellbeing of older adults particularly through PA: Value will be derived in the ways outlined above. In addition, the seminars will provide a forum for policy perspectives and evidence needs relative to PA in older age to be identified and where appropriate, critiqued, in order to ensure effective distribution of resources (e.g. Seminar 8).

The translation of knowledge to our beneficiaries will be supported through the appointment of a Knowledge Transfer Fellow (refer to Pathways to Impact; Justification of Resources).