Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Manchester Centre for Health Psychology, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK.
Br J Health Psychol. 2025 Feb;30(1):e12747. doi: 10.1111/bjhp.12747. Epub 2024 Sep 23.
The present study aimed to understand the experiences of older adult participants and service deliverers involved in a UK-based physical activity programme, developed using participatory approaches.
Focus groups and one-to-one interviews were conducted with 34 older adults (aged 55+ years) and 13 service providers. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted, structured using the framework approach.
Four themes were identified: (1) Co-designed activities met needs and encouraged attendance; (2) engagement and access of programme activities; (3) enjoyment and perceived benefits of sessions; and (4) support needs of individuals delivering activities. Co-designed activities appeared to meet participant needs and instil a sense of ownership of the programme. Feeling able to relate to other participants seemed important and of potential relevance to attracting older adults to the programme. Peer support may help to increase confidence in attending sessions; place-based approaches (using resources in local communities) and a flexible approach to involvement also seemed to facilitate engagement. Enjoyment of the programme appeared to be enhanced through activity variety and opportunity for socializing, with a sense of community being created through the support and encouragement of fellow participants. It was considered important that volunteers had appropriate recognition and ongoing support.
These findings suggest that using participatory approaches may facilitate enjoyment and sustained engagement of older adults. Provision based on local community assets may contribute to sustainability of services. However, providing ongoing support is imperative, requiring further costs and resources over the longer-term.
本研究旨在了解参与英国基于参与式方法开发的体育活动计划的老年参与者和服务提供者的经验。
对 34 名年龄在 55 岁以上的老年人和 13 名服务提供者进行了焦点小组和一对一访谈。采用框架方法对归纳主题分析进行了结构化。
确定了四个主题：（1）共同设计的活动满足了需求并鼓励了出勤率；（2）计划活动的参与和获得；（3）对会议的享受和感知益处；以及（4）提供活动的个人的支持需求。共同设计的活动似乎满足了参与者的需求，并使他们对该计划产生了归属感。能够与其他参与者产生共鸣似乎很重要，并且可能与吸引老年人参与该计划有关。同伴支持可能有助于增加参加会议的信心；基于地点的方法（利用当地社区的资源）和灵活的参与方式似乎也有利于参与。通过活动多样性和社交机会，计划的趣味性得到了提高，通过同伴的支持和鼓励，营造了社区感。志愿者获得适当的认可和持续支持被认为很重要。
这些发现表明，采用参与式方法可能有助于提高老年人的享受度和持续参与度。基于当地社区资产的提供可能有助于服务的可持续性。然而，提供持续的支持是必不可少的，这需要在更长的时间内投入更多的成本和资源。
