Older Adults in Sports: Barriers, Enablers, Policies, and Case Study

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of older adults' participation in sports, addressing the barriers that hinder their involvement and the enablers that promote it. It examines the societal expectations, health issues, and lack of opportunities that present challenges, while also highlighting the importance of social support, effective infrastructure, and the benefits of sports for older adults, such as satisfaction and improved health. The report further explores the influence of current policies, specifically the Active Nation Policy and the Single Departmental Plan in the UK, and includes a case study illustrating a socioecological approach to encourage older women's participation in softball. The findings emphasize the need to break stereotypes and enhance accessibility to facilities to foster active engagement in sports for this demographic.

OLDER ADULTS IN
SPORTS

Table of Contents
BARRIERS OF PARTICIPATION.................................................................................................1
ENABLERS AND MOTIVATORS................................................................................................2
BENEFITS.......................................................................................................................................2
INFLUENCE OF CURRENT POLICIES.......................................................................................3
CASE STUDY.................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

BARRIERS OF PARTICIPATION
Sports is an activity which is quite imperative for groups of distinct age groups as it helps
in improving the health and well-being of individuals within different life stages. Furthermore,
there are several studies which reflect the importance of sports in old age, while referring the
same to as Leisure in Later Life (Dionigi, 2006). As for the group of older individuals, their
inclusion within the sports is equally necessary, as it is crucial for them to be physically and
mentally active to ensure a better and healthy lifestyle ahead.
However, there are several reasons as to why these groups are under-represented when
sports is concerned. Moreover, it also represents factors which induce barriers for old individuals
in their participation in sports. This is because the composition of body within later stages
presents several hindrances for activeness in relation to sports (Gianoudis, Bailey and Daly,
2015). Therefore, below is a representation of certain barriers for older people:
INTERPERSONAL
BARRIERS REASONS
Societal Expectations
One of the biggest barriers for older individuals within sports is that
the expectations of society from these individuals are very much
different. Though, for improvement in health at later stages, there are
several appropriate interventions stated for older individuals (Northey
and et. al., 2018). However, still society plays a crucial role in being a
barrier for these individuals. For instance, society expects individuals
to rest and perform cultural practices when they turn old, rather than
playing sports.
Health Issues Activeness within older age tends to reduce, which might enhance
health issues if the older individuals are engaged in sports.
ORGANISATIONAL
BARRIERS REASONS
Lack of Opportunities There are very less opportunities for older individuals to be included
within sports, as agencies, firms and sports organisations focus on
younger and more active players for different sports to keep up with
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the spirit of the game. The same is reflected within several studies that
are related to training older adults within physical activities (Candow
and et. al., 2015).
Facility Access
The infrastructure of sports organisations does not effectively support
inclusion of senior individuals in sports, as there are lower facilities in
terms of coaching, mentoring, therapies and gaming opportunities.
ENABLERS AND MOTIVATORS
There are certain enablers and motivators for older adults to enhance their inclusion
within sports. Furthermore, these factors ensure that a readiness is induced within these people
which drives them towards different sports and associated activities. Hence, some of these
pointers are discussed below:
 Provision of social and communal support:
One of the most appropriate motivators which are necessary to ensure inclusion of older
people in sports. One such motivator is related to providing communal and social support to
these individuals. For this purpose, communities could be formulated for supporting the health
and financial needs for these people that would help them in playing sports efficiently.
 Effective infrastructure:
Another enabler that could possibly encourage older adults towards their inclusion in
sports. This could be done through providing effective facilities for them to play, such as better
physical therapies, effective coaching and inclusion of technological equipments for recording
their physical activities. Furthermore, it is a concept associated with a better quality of life that is
required to provide effective training to these individuals (Pedersen and et. al., 2017).
BENEFITS
Through sports, older adults could experience certain benefits which could be very much
advantageous for them in context of their inclusion (Jenkin and et. al., 2016). Some of the
pointers reflecting upon the benefits of sports inclusion of these individuals are discussed below:
 Satisfaction:
There are several individuals who are seekers of leisure and thrill throughout their lives
and their old age might refrain them from doing the same (Heo and et. al., 2013). Hence, through
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inclusion in sports and competitive practices associated with it, older adults could experience a
sense of satisfaction as they have something prominent to look onto, which would help them in
surpass their old age lifestyle.
 Health and Well-being:
Another benefit which these individuals are likely to achieve through their inclusion in
sports is related to their health and well-being. The reason for this is because with active
participation in sports, the metabolism of these individuals become stronger, reflecting on an
active lifestyle, along with better mental and physical health, especially in cardiovascular
conditions (Sparling and et. al., 2015).
INFLUENCE OF CURRENT POLICIES
There are certain policies within the UK led out by organisations like Sport England and
DCMS that have a certain level of impact within the participation of older adults in sports. Some
of these policies and their influence are discussed as under:
 Active Nation Policy:
One of the most appropriate and relevant policies in context of enhancing the
participation of older adults in sports is the active nation policy by Sport England (NEW
STRATEGY TO TACKLE INACTIVITY, 2019). This policy highlights certain strategies which the
organisation would be undertaking to enhance participation of under-represented groups like
older individuals, disabled people, women and so forth. It is one through provision of effective
funding, gaining support from government, investment in technologies, etc.
 Single Departmental Plan:
Another relevant policy associated with the inclusion of older adults in organisation is the
single departmental plan by DCMS, which is inclusive of strategies and initiatives which
contributes in engagement of individuals within sport activities (DCMS: Single Departmental
Plan, 2019). Moreover, it crafts the policies related to funding and infrastructural development
that would support the individuals in their inclusion within sports.
CASE STUDY
One of the most prominent case studies in context of inclusion of under-represented
group within sports is the socioecological framework as part of Geriatric Rehabilitation, which
represented a thematic analysis of initiative taken to include middle and older aged women into
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playing softball (Naar and et. al., 2017). Hence, through this initiative, it was acknowledged that
allied health professionals have an effective and essential role to play in context of supporting
the inclusion of older adults within sports. Moreover, it also assists in realising that it is very
important to break cultural and social stereotypes and enhance the accessibility to facilities
which encourage older people to indulge actively into sports activities.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Candow, D.G., and et. al., 2015. Strategic creatine supplementation and resistance training in
healthy older adults. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 40(7). pp.689-694.
Available Through: <https://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/full/10.1139/apnm-2014-
0498#.XhgDCy0zab8>
DCMS: Single Departmental Plan. 2019. [Online] Available Through:
<https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-digital-culture-media-
and-sport-single-departmental-plan/dcms-single-departmental-plan-2019>
Dionigi, R., 2006. Competitive sport as leisure in later life: Negotiations, discourse, and aging.
Leisure sciences. 28(2). pp.181-196. Available Through:
<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01490400500484081>
Gianoudis, J., Bailey, C.A. and Daly, R.M., 2015. Associations between sedentary behaviour and
body composition, muscle function and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults.
Osteoporosis international. 26(2). pp.571-579. Available Through:
<https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00198-014-2895-y>
Heo, J., and et. al., 2013. Promoting successful aging through competitive sports participation:
Insights from older adults. Qualitative health research. 23(1). pp.105-113. Available
Through: <https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1049732312457247>
Jenkin, C.R., and et. al., 2016. Are they ‘worth their weight in gold’? Sport for older adults:
benefits and barriers of their participation for sporting organisations. International
Journal of Sport Policy and Politics. 8(4). pp.663-680. Available Through:
<https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19406940.2016.1220410>
Naar, J.J., and et. al., 2017. A socioecological approach to women's participation in competitive
softball during middle and late adulthood. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation. 33(3).
pp.170-181. Available Through:
<https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/tgr/2017/00000033/00000003/art00004>
NEW STRATEGY TO TACKLE INACTIVITY. 2019. [Online] Available Through:
<https://www.sportengland.org/news-and-features/news/2016/may/19/sport-england-
triples-investment-in-tackling-inactivity/>
Northey, J.M., and et. al., 2018. Exercise interventions for cognitive function in adults older than
50: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 52(3). pp.154-160.
Available Through: <https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/52/3/154.abstract>
Pedersen, M.T., and et. al., 2017. Effect of team sports and resistance training on physical
function, quality of life, and motivation in older adults. Scandinavian journal of
medicine & science in sports. 27(8). pp.852-864. Available Through:
<https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/sms.12823>
Sparling, P.B., and et. al., 2015. Recommendations for physical activity in older adults. Bmj.
350. p.h100. Available Through: <https://www.bmj.com/content/350/bmj.h100.full>
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