Psychomotor Abilities of Elderly People and Their Motivation to Participate in Organized Physical Activity

ABSTRACT

Background: Functional training has an effect on the physical parameters of people, but the motivation of the elderly people practicing sports varies depending on the events taking place in their close environment and the specifics of their relationships.

Methods: Participants were recruited in the City Leisure Center for Elderly People and Social Care Home for Elderly People and randomly assigned to two groups: a study group and control group. The survey sample consisted of 40 respondents (aged 68 ± 8 years), who met the inclusion criteria. Respondents exercised to the Adapted Physical Activity Program, which consisted of a study of motivation to exercise, testing of physical parameters and adaptation of functional training to respondents physical needs.

Results: Before starting functional training, the balance of study group was 44% (p < .05) lower if compared to the control group. We determined statistically significant change of coordination after FT - 17.75% (p < .05). The data of semi-structured interview were coded and attributed to specific subcategories, four categories were established: self-expression, self-awareness, body image, and self-esteem.

Conclusions: Certain living environments may limit the need and possibility for the elderly people to exercise while enjoying the sense of communion through physical activity.

Compliance with ethical standards

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Ethical approval

The National Ethics Committee in Lithuania approved the study. The rights of human participants were protected; the procedures were according to the Helsinki declaration.

Informed consent

All respondents signed informed consent prior to the assessments.