The enactment of leisure-time physical activity policy for older adults in community leisure settings

ABSTRACT

This paper examines the enactment of local government leisure policies in community leisure facilities through the lens of policy enactment. Leisure policies typically get enacted through a complex and contested process by a range of stakeholders. The paper explores how local government staff and leisure facility managers engage in the work of older adult policy enactment and how policies inform the strategic planning of programs and facilities. The research involved semi-structured interviews with local government employees and leisure facility managers across four local government areas in Victoria, Australia. Findings indicate that leisure facility managers exhibit a lack of engagement with policies, particularly those targeting older adults. To improve participation rates and justify significant public investment in leisure facilities, the study recommends leisure facility management and local government employees establish a negotiation process concerning older adult leisure and physical activity policy and facility managers interpret, re-contextualise, and make sense of policy.

KEYWORDS:

• Local government
• leisure policy
• policy enactment
• leisure facilities
• older adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).