Exploring ageing, research methods & adventure activity: the potential of outdoor adventure activity (OAA) to engage older adults in appropriate levels of physical activity (PA).

Abstract

Globally the population is ageing, people are living longer and birth rates continue to decline. While an ageing population is viewed as a positive societal achievement, reporting of the exponentially ageing demographic is predominantly negative. For example, the increase in non-communicable diseases, increased burden on the health system and the drain on the system (Freeman et al., 2016; Coughlin, 2017; Honore, 2018). Literature argues, this negative reporting is at best demotivating and worst self-prophesying (Sun, Norman and While, 2013; Lamont, Swift and Abrams, 2015; Robertson et al., 2015; Pikhartova, Bowling and Victor, 2016; Coughlin, 2017). While, governments, academics and health professionals recognise the health benefits of physical activity (PA) for older adults and specifically the benefits of outdoor activity, reports indicate a concerning decline in participation as people age (Taylor, 2013; Chastin et al., 2015; Bauman et al., 2016; Ding et al., 2016). Consequently, there is a need for innovative approaches to PA engagement that address the physical, social and mental needs of older adults. Outdoor adventure activities (OAA) have the potential to address all three needs and can easily be adapted to suit the desires, abilities and interests of the older person (Buckley, 2018). Currently, there is a gap in research exploring motivations of older adults’ motivations to participate in outdoor adventure activities globally (Hickman et al., 2018) and specifically of relevance to this research in the Republic of Ireland. Exploration of the why, what, where, how, and benefits that older adults get through engagement in OAA will provide data that can be used to understand older adults’ motivations and perhaps motivate others. Increased awareness of older adults continuing to engage in their chosen activities may also help to remove remove negative stereotyping. This research will explore the motivations of older adventurers by applying a participative, action based methodology where the researchers engage with the participants in their activities. Participative Action Based Research adopts a collaborative, cooperative approach in an attempt to explore the issues and challenges of the participants within their communities (Stringer, 2007). For the purposes of this research, the community being older outdoor adventure enthusiasts, aged ≥ 50 and regular participants in the activities of hill walking and scuba diving.