On the importance of a positive view on ageing for physical exercise among middle-aged and older adults: Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings

Abstract

Physical activity is one of the most important health behaviours associated with the prevention and management of chronic diseases in older adults, but this potential is often insufficiently used. The present study examined for the first time whether a positive view on ageing (PVA) may contribute to a higher level of physical activity. Analyses were based on the German Ageing Survey, a longitudinal population-based survey (N = 4034) on middle-aged and older adults (40-85 years) conducted in the years 1996 and 2002. As hypothesised, middle-aged adults with a PVA not only engaged in physical activity in the form of sports more frequently; they even increased this activity provided that they were healthy enough to do so. For older adults, PVA was particularly associated with more regular walking and increases of walking over time. Because walking is often still recommended in spite of health problems, it was remarkable that even older people with worse health walked just as regularly as those with good health, provided that they had a positive view on ageing. The results shed some light on recent findings about the importance of PVA for health and longevity and point to a partial mediation between PVA and health by physical exercise.

A ‘new life’ story or ‘delaying the inevitable’? Exploring older people's narratives during exercise uptake

“…This allowed the researcher to ask follow-up questions, to probe regarding topics 15 which arose, and to gain participant reflections on their previous answers and any 16 changes that may have occurred (Day, 2013). In accordance with Smith (2013), 17 multiple interviews may allow for a more credible and in depth understanding than 18 singular interactions, enhancing the development of trust and rapport between 19 researcher and participant.…”

“…For all three 14 participants, age provided the basis for comparisons, further, the exercise group even 15 served to affirm the relationship between age and deterioration. 16 To facilitate the assimilation of the exercise experience into their existing 17 narratives, participants' focus remained in the here and now when discussing their 18 exercise participation. All three participants reported the benefits associated with 19 exercise, but none discussed the future impact that these benefits would have.…”

“…We 12 sought to explore both if and how their narratives changed (with particular reference 13 to the role of physical activity in their personal stories) and, if and how 14 counternarratives to the dominant ageing narrative emerged throughout their 15 experiences. 16 We chose to focus our exploration on this clinical group as falling is a major 17 health risk for elderly individuals that has substantial consequences at both personal 18 and societal levels (e.g., well-being and social isolation, financial and resource …”

(De)Gendering Older Patients: Exploring Views on Aging and Older Patients in Romanian General Practitioners

“…GPs views on aging are relevant since they might unknowingly maintain certain negative aging stereotypes by promoting negative images of aging in their work. A positive view of aging means that they see the potential for development and experiencing positive emotions in old age, while negative images of aging mean associating old age with illness and dependency (Levy, 2003;Wurm, Tomasik, & Tesch-Römer, 2010). Previous studies showed that health professionals had more negative images of aging (Walter et al, 2010;Craciun & Flick, 2015;Craciun, 2016).…”

The German Ageing Survey (DEAS) – A Longitudinal and Time-Series Study of People in the Second Half of Life

“…Engstler, 2006;Scherger et al, 2012), age-related cognitions, activities and health (e.g. Wurm et al, 2007;Böhm et al, 2009;Wurm et al, 2010;Schöllgen et al, 2010;Schöllgen et al, 2012;Schüz et al, 2011), subjective well-being and loneliness (e.g. Westerhof et al, 2006;Wurm et al, 2008;Merz et al, 2010;Wiest et al, 2011;Tesch-Römer et al, 2012), family relations, grandparenthood and social networks (e.g.…”