This webinar explored the motivators and barriers to physical activity for people in their 50s and 60s, and what might work to help people in this age group feel the benefits and get active. Find out more: https://www.ageing-better.org.uk/events/understanding-physical-inactivity-webinar

1. Centre for Ageing Better
ageing-better.org.uk
Keep on movin' - the
importance of staying
active in your 50s and 60s
This webinar explored the motivators and
barriers to physical activity for people in their 50s
and 60s, and what might work to help people in
this age group feel the benefits and get active.

2. ageing-better.org.uk
Professor Charlie Foster OBE
and Dr Nick Cavill
Report authors

4. Methods
• This study aimed to explore the experiences of physically inactive
people in mid-life (50-70) in England
• Review of qualitative literature
• In-depth discussions with people aged 50-70: 58 semi-structured
interviews were conducted during 2020/21.

5. Key themes
• Quality of life as a motivator
• Preventing poor health in the future was a key motivator for many
participants
• Limited view of what constitutes physical activity
• The importance of life events
• ‘I am not the sporty type’ – the importance of identity
• The importance of family and peer support
• Retirement had contrasting impacts on physical activity

6. • Living longer’ is not a key motivator to become more physically active:
most participants emphasised the potential to improve their quality
of life as they aged.
I think it's very good to be independent…to me, independence
means being mobile
Male, 56, working, inactive always, White British ethnicity

7. • Preventing poor health in the future was a key motivator for many
participants. The influence of negative role models was often
mentioned in relation to this; for example, ‘I do yoga so I don’t end up
like X’.
I'm thinking, yeah, it's really important to be physically active
so that I don't end up an old lady who can't walk very much.
Female, 56, working, inactive recently, Pakistani ethnicity

8. • Many participants had a limited view of what constitutes physical
activity and were not aware that everyday activities such as shopping
or gardening are an important part of being physically active. Few
participants considered the importance of strength and balance
training or mixed intensity activities.

9. • Common life events – such as becoming a carer, being diagnosed with
a long-term health condition, or retirement – were triggers
preventing participants from being physically active.
It was finding the time. Because I've always worked full time. I
have three children. Obviously. They've grown up now. But
yeah, it was just finding the time, coming in to cook dinner
and clean.
Female, 51, working, active always, White British ethnicity

10. • Whether participants identified as ‘sporty’, ‘inactive’ or even ‘lazy’
influenced how they perceived potential motivators and barriers.

11. • Family and peer support are very important motivators to maintaining
physical activity.
If you've got somebody to do something with, it makes you
more likely to do it, rather than thinking it's not quite as
nice today, well, I won't bother.
Female, 63, retired, inactive recently, White British ethnicity

12. • Retirement did not affect different participants’ physical activity in the
same way. For some, having more time in retirement led to increased
activity levels. For others, the lack of structure made them less likely
to take part in physical activity.

13. Research gaps
• Are there differences in attitudes to physical activity among people aged
50-70 from different Black Asian and Minority Ethnic groups in the UK?
• How does gender influence attitudes to physical activity among 50–70-
year-olds?
• What are the barriers to physical activity among 50-70-year-olds living in
deprived communities in the UK?
• What are the barriers to physical activity among 50-70-year-olds living with
long-term health conditions?
• How does physical activity ‘track’ through life-stages until mid-life?
• How can declines in physical activity be minimized at key life-stages?
• What works to promote physical activity among 50–70-year-olds?

14. ageing-better.org.uk
Beth Mitchell
Active Ageing Lead
GreaterSport

15. & GM Moving
Active Ageing in Greater Manchester

17. Active Ageing in Greater Manchester
Working together to re-design systems and change culture-to create the conditions for Active Ageing.
Active Ageing.
ActiveTravel
Active Travel and Over 50's
Recommendations across all system levels
integrated into Active Travel strategy and
delivery; influencing future practice for this
cohort to increase inclusive walking and cycling
in mid to later life; steering/ advisory group
sharing practice.
TfGM, GreaterSport, GM Moving, Centre for
Ageing Better, GMCA, University of
Manchester
Place-based approaches to
tackling health
inequalities
Adult CareTransformation
GMHSCP, Adult Social Care, Dementia
United, GM Active, Healthy Ageing
Research Group
Work & Health
National (Enabling)
Greater Manchester (Supporting)
Locality (Led)
Neighbourhood (Led)
Equalities
Public Narrative & Comms
Data, Evidence & Insight
Workforce Development (System Leadership)- includingAgeing Leads,GM Active and wider community of learning/practice
Evaluation
Active Ageing in the workplace and for
those out of work:
System change to support people in mid to
later life who are out of work, within the
workplace and the transition to retirement
(Strength & Balance integration)
Growth Company (SME), DWP, Good
Employment, Active Workplaces, GMCA,
GM Moving Local Pilot
System Redesign
Local approaches to physical activity, aligned
with Ageing in Place.
Co-design and prototype local whole-systems
approach with inactive 50-70 cohort with ICS
arrangements/model. Identify (LTCs) - assess -
intervene
ICS, Primary Care, GM Active, PHE,
GreaterSport, Centre for Ageing Better, Sport
England, Local Authorities – Age-Friendly
Boards, place-based teams
Integration of physical activity across all
services/programme (Tech & Innovation,
workforce development, Quality assurance,
General integration of PA)
GM Falls Collaborative
Dementia United

18. Example: Adult CareTransformation
Key work areas:
Tech & Innovation
Keep On Keep Up (KOKU) App: Training for providers happening acrossTameside ready for roll out in January 2021. IPad have been
sourced.This is part of theTameside Trailblazer.
Connection with the Tech & Innovation work stream: Linking with all networks including GMCA and the development of their work on
this agenda and ageing. GreaterSport/GM Moving can be a partner to this group from a PA perspective.
Workforce Development
StaffTraining: Explore the integration of the importance of PA in staff induction training across ASC.
Staff PA & Wellbeing: Explore how we can increase the activity levels of ASC staff (encourage walking during the day etc)
Supporting Older People: Provide a training offer for staff on how to support people to be active in their own home and the importance
of this.
General integration of Physical Activity/Strength & Balance
CQC & PA: Continue the conversation regarding the CQC and the quality standards around PA.
Quality Care Standards for GM: Exploring how we can embed PA within the Quality of Life Model.
Reimagining Care Homes: Explore the potential of how this could play a part in the development of this.
Explore the connection with the leisure services and ASC: Work with GM Active to understand whether they are currently connected
to ASC and how they could refer people into their specialist exercise referral service.

19. • Enhances our understanding of the 50-70 cohort of people in mid to later life and
how to create the conditions for healthy ageing.
• Further research into the Psychological barriers and motivators is really key, we
tend to have more of an understanding of the practical barriers and motivators.
• Findings around the impact of retirement on physical activity levels challenges our
work in Greater Manchester as a focus point for a reduction in activity, this report will
support and develop our understanding of this transition.
• Really pleased to see a lot of the recommendations across local authorities and the
leisure sector echoing our approach to increasing physical activity levels in Greater
Manchester.
• This report will massively support the development of our work around ‘place-
based approaches to tackling health inequalities’, due to our focus on the 50-70
cohort.

20. Centre for Ageing Better
ageing-better.org.uk
Keep on movin' - the
importance of staying
active in your 50s and 60s