Our sector can do more for active ageing – it’s never been more important
With many older people in crisis due to the pandemic, ukactive’s head of health and wellbeing development, Kenny Butler, explains why the organisation is launching an active ageing consultation and how you can get involved
Older people lose functional ability if the opportunity to exercise is witheld
There’s never been a better time to recognise the incredible value of gyms and leisure centres in supporting the health and wellbeing of older adults and people with long-term health conditions.
These facilities provide services that are vital to achieving not only greater physical activity levels, but also improved social connections, generating significant health, economic and social value.
Sport England’s 2018/19 Active Lives Survey reported only 40 per cent of people aged over 75 were meeting the recommended chief medical officer guidelines of 150 minutes’ activity per week, meaning 60 per cent do not. This makes it even more important that the sector continually improves user experience, to ensure the right level of provision, choice and accessibility, with ability and age-appropriate offerings.
New initiative ukactive has launched an Active Ageing Consultation with the aim of developing and highlighting existing industry-wide activity options according to the level of physical activity required, not just by age group.
Months of social distancing, and increased time spent being sedentary at home has had a deconditioning effect on many people – particularly on those in mid- and later-life, and those living with long-term health conditions.
Deconditioning is real. It can lead to loss of muscle mass, stiffening of joints, loss of bone density and decreases in aerobic fitness, meaning the impacts of COVID-19 will put many more people at risk of losing functional ability sooner than they otherwise would have.
Already, research carried out by Age UK has found many older people reporting they find it harder to get around and that they are less steady on their feet compared to before the pandemic.
During the pandemic, many people’s rehabilitation programmes have been disrupted because services were paused or due to the re-prioritising of caseloads. The pandemic has also clearly highlighted the importance of rehabilitation and the need for a strategic approach to cope with increased demand from people recovering from COVID-19, as well as those awaiting paused urgent and routine planned care who have further deteriorated in their health and function.
In addition, people who avoided accessing health services during the lockdown and are now at greater risk of ill-health or other conditions developing need these services, as do people dealing with the physical and mental health effects of lockdown.
Get involved The fitness industry is well placed to help an ageing population with increasingly complex health challenges. Vital first steps include asset mapping and ensuring the primary care sector is aware of what’s on offer, so healthcare professionals can draw on these services.
The Active Ageing Consultation, led by the ukactive Research Institute, will help ukactive to develop best practice evidence for the sector, by understanding what’s currently working and what offers can be altered and improved. This involves understanding how current or future offers support activity levels, wellbeing and resilience and are ability-focused rather than just age-focused.
The success of our consultation will depend on the quality of submissions we receive, in the shape of case studies, from the sector, so please submit yours at the following link: www.HCMmag.com/activeageing
Kenny Butler is ukactive’s head of health and wellbeing development
An opportunity to reimagine one of the UK’s most recognisable towers has been formally
opened by Rivington Hark, as St Johns Beacon invites operators and partners to shape its
next phase. [more...]
Our sector can do more for active ageing – it’s never been more important
With many older people in crisis due to the pandemic, ukactive’s head of health and wellbeing development, Kenny Butler, explains why the organisation is launching an active ageing consultation and how you can get involved
Older people lose functional ability if the opportunity to exercise is witheld
There’s never been a better time to recognise the incredible value of gyms and leisure centres in supporting the health and wellbeing of older adults and people with long-term health conditions.
These facilities provide services that are vital to achieving not only greater physical activity levels, but also improved social connections, generating significant health, economic and social value.
Sport England’s 2018/19 Active Lives Survey reported only 40 per cent of people aged over 75 were meeting the recommended chief medical officer guidelines of 150 minutes’ activity per week, meaning 60 per cent do not. This makes it even more important that the sector continually improves user experience, to ensure the right level of provision, choice and accessibility, with ability and age-appropriate offerings.
New initiative ukactive has launched an Active Ageing Consultation with the aim of developing and highlighting existing industry-wide activity options according to the level of physical activity required, not just by age group.
Months of social distancing, and increased time spent being sedentary at home has had a deconditioning effect on many people – particularly on those in mid- and later-life, and those living with long-term health conditions.
Deconditioning is real. It can lead to loss of muscle mass, stiffening of joints, loss of bone density and decreases in aerobic fitness, meaning the impacts of COVID-19 will put many more people at risk of losing functional ability sooner than they otherwise would have.
Already, research carried out by Age UK has found many older people reporting they find it harder to get around and that they are less steady on their feet compared to before the pandemic.
During the pandemic, many people’s rehabilitation programmes have been disrupted because services were paused or due to the re-prioritising of caseloads. The pandemic has also clearly highlighted the importance of rehabilitation and the need for a strategic approach to cope with increased demand from people recovering from COVID-19, as well as those awaiting paused urgent and routine planned care who have further deteriorated in their health and function.
In addition, people who avoided accessing health services during the lockdown and are now at greater risk of ill-health or other conditions developing need these services, as do people dealing with the physical and mental health effects of lockdown.
Get involved The fitness industry is well placed to help an ageing population with increasingly complex health challenges. Vital first steps include asset mapping and ensuring the primary care sector is aware of what’s on offer, so healthcare professionals can draw on these services.
The Active Ageing Consultation, led by the ukactive Research Institute, will help ukactive to develop best practice evidence for the sector, by understanding what’s currently working and what offers can be altered and improved. This involves understanding how current or future offers support activity levels, wellbeing and resilience and are ability-focused rather than just age-focused.
The success of our consultation will depend on the quality of submissions we receive, in the shape of case studies, from the sector, so please submit yours at the following link: www.HCMmag.com/activeageing
Kenny Butler is ukactive’s head of health and wellbeing development
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
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is preparing to open near the world-famous archaeological site in southern Italy.
Experience design company, BRC Imagination Arts, has completed a transition that sees founder
Bob Rogers pass ownership of the business to four long-serving senior executives, while
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Movie Park Germany has opened a new Paramount Pictures-themed attraction as part of its 30th
anniversary celebrations, using immersive storytelling and adaptive reuse to reinforce the park’s
longstanding “Hollywood in Germany” positioning.
Therme Manchester’s 28-acre development, which will include interconnected glass pavilions
that measure 65,000sq m, will be the largest bathing and wellbeing attraction in the world once
complete, according to prof David Russell, CEO of Therme UK.
Efteling has opened Hooghmoed, a new family drop tower designed to broaden the appeal of its
recently launched Sirene Island themed area and introduce younger visitors to thrill attractions.
A proposed Puy du Fou development near Bicester and Universal Destinations and Experiences’
planned resort in Bedford are emerging as part of a wider transformation of the Oxford–
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Shedd Aquarium has opened the Immersion Theater developed in partnership with SimEx-
Iwerks, as part of a wider strategy to enhance the guest experience and create additional
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The UK government has announced a temporary reduction in VAT on visitor attractions and
children’s meals as part of a summer cost-of-living support package designed to stimulate the
visitor economy and encourage family days out.
As designer Yinka Ilori prepares for his first solo gallery show in London, he speaks exclusively
to CLADmag about his mission to spread joy, the power of play, and his bold approach to using
colour (including the colours you won’t see in his work).
The government of Thailand is exploring plans for a THB300bn (£6.3bn, US$8.3bn)
entertainment complex in the country’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), with officials
proposing a large-scale theme park and sports destination as part of a broader tourism and
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