The Experience and Meaning of Physical Activity in Assisted Living Facility Residents

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) can counter negative health outcomes, decrease metabolic risk and prevent premature frailty but little is known about PA in assisted living facility (ALF) residents. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience and meaning of PA in AFL residents as a preliminary step in the development of future research aimed at increasing PA in this population. Method: A qualitative exploratory research design was used. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted. Subjects described historical and current PA and the meaning of PA for them. Interviews were audio taped and transcribed verbatim. Raw data were reduced and analyzed using a modified version of Moustakas’ (1994) phenomenological methodology. Results: The sample was 20 older adults in assisted living aged 57-96 years (M=77.4, SD=10.6). Sixteen (80%) were females, mean length of stay in the ALF was 27.6 months (SD=26.0), and 13 (65%) used a walker occasionally. Twenty-seven meaning units were derived from 20 interviews and clustered into five themes. PA was defined in broad terms that included all bodily movement and social engagement. Residents were sedentary but saw themselves as physically active, in part because they compared themselves to others perceived as less active. Residents’ PA was dependent on a schedule imposed by facility staff and family availability. This scheduling was viewed positively. Health problems limited PA, however residents were motivated by potential positive health outcomes to work through the limitations. PA meant functional disability could be delayed and that one could hope and plan for the future. Conclusions: Residents saw PA as important for healthy living but did not engage in the amount and types of PA that would impart health benefits such as improved physical function. Comparisons to others reinforced an attitude that present levels of PA were satisfactory when in fact most of the PA described involved seated, leisure activities and not PA. Further work is needed to help ALF residents understand the difference between sedentary behavior and PA as a next step in future research.