“I Didn’t Think I Needed It. But I Find I Look Forward to It Very Much”: Social Connectedness and Physical Health through the Eyes of Older Adults

ABSTRACT

Older adults are one of the least physically active populations and increasingly lonely. There is a growing body of literature that highlights that community-based programs are cost-effective to increase physical activity in the general population. However, little is known about community-based programs aimed to improve older adults’ physical activity and social connectedness. Given that lonely individuals are at risk for accelerated loss of physical functioning and health with age, physical activity interventions that also aim to enhance social connectedness may decrease loneliness and increase long-term physical activity participation. Thus, this study is part of a formative evaluation that will inform a larger scale out of community-driven physical activity and social connectedness programs for older adults in British Columbia, Canada. This article presents qualitative themes that shed light on the perceptions of thirteen older adults living in a rural context who participated in a community-driven health promotion program. The photovoice data reflect physical and social activity preferences and what facilitates/hinders participation. Social connectedness and its sub-themes intersect with themes: the natural environment, transportation, and physical and mental health. Findings offer insight for future physical activity and social connectedness programming and evaluation.

KEYWORDS:

• Social activity
• physical activity
• formative evaluation

Acknowledgments

We extend sincere thanks to our study participants for generously sharing their experiences and time. Thank you to research assistants Kaitlin Hong-Tai and Neville Li who assisted with data collection and study coordination. Thank you to the United Way of the Lower Mainland for their partnership on the Active Aging Grant Initiative.

Authors contribution

Franke, Sims-Gould, Lusina-Furst, and McKay, developed study concept and design. All authors contributed to the analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors claim no conflict of interest.

Ethical considerations

In methods section

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid from the BC Ministry of Health as well as a Canadian Institutes of Health Research project grant (PJT-153248). Dr. Sims-Gould is supported by a New Investigator award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a Scholar award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.