A Study on the Motivation of Older Adults to Participate in Exercise or Physical Fitness Activities

Tsai-Hsuan Tsai, Alice M. Wong, Hsiu-Feng Lee and Kevin C. Tseng
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Tsai-Hsuan Tsai: Master of Science Degree Program in Innovation for Smart Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Alice M. Wong: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
Hsiu-Feng Lee: Graduate Institute of Business and Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Kevin C. Tseng: Product Design and Development Laboratory, Taoyuan 33343, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Studies have found that older adults often experience severe problems due to a lack of exercise, including an increased risk of falls, increased psychological problems and reduced social participation. However, the practicality and sustainability of exercise or physical fitness activities among older adults are questionable because these adults may face physical and psychological obstacles. Hence, this study proposed a research model to explore the physical fitness behaviours of the elderly subjects and the specific factors for maintaining their motivation to participate in exercise or physical fitness activities. A survey for a total of 101 subjects of residents of Chang Gung Health and Culture Village (CGHCV) was conducted to investigate the effects of the elderly’s group identification and psychological proximity on their attitude and intention toward physical fitness. The results show that the group identification of the physical fitness activities, psychological proximity, intention toward physical fitness and subjective norms of the subjects did not affect their attitudes towards physical fitness or their intention to participate in exercise or physical fitness activities in the future. Therefore, the influence of group identification with other older adults of the same age on empathy allowed the subjects to understand the problematic aspects of physical fitness. Group identification among the subjects allowed them to adjust to their physical fitness problems through sympathy. It mediated the physical fitness problems of the subjects through the ageism effect.

Keywords: institutional healthcare; motivation; older adults; physical fitness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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