IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/prp/jattij/v15y2022i1p65-80.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Active Leisure and Ageing in Rural Ireland: Exploring Perceptions and Motivations to Facilitate and Promote Meaningful Physical Activity

Author

Listed:
  • Angie Hartnett

    (Technical University Dublin, Grangegorman, Ireland)

  • Catherine Gorman

    (Technical University Dublin, Grangegorman, Ireland)

Abstract

The life expectancy of the world population is increasing and the art of aging well is of global interest (European Commission, n.d.). In Ireland, the number of people over the age of 60 will increase from 1.1 million currently, to 2.44 million by 2041, constituting nearly one third of its total population (Institute of Public Health, 2018). Despite the benefits of regular physical activity (PA), particularly with the frail (?65 years and requiring a walking aid), rates of participation remain low (Colley et al., 2011). Health concerns raised, such as smoking and weight issues, are more prevalent in this cohort (Witcher et al., 2016). Currently, when they reach a certain age, PA is not seen as beneficial and older adults refrain from participating in PA (Witcher et al., 2016), particularly post-retirement (Chaudhury and Shelton, 2010). Education of the older population concerning the benefits of PA is critical, and PA perceptions and behaviours must be examined both contextually and historically (Witcher et al., 2016) to provide greater clarity and understanding. In order to develop a more comprehensive, inclusive policy for active ageing in Ireland, particularly rural Ireland, we need to reflect on the research to date. This conceptual paper develops a framework of meaning-making to active leisure, focusing on perceptions and motivations of a rural based population. It also examines the impact of being physically active on participating in tourism in this population and how Ireland is targeting this growing older market for various forms of tourism activity. An unhealthy population brings a financial burden to the country. Encouraging a healthier lifestyle which includes more meaningful active leisure, facilitating an engagement with tourism, is required to enable this cohort to age healthily and well and thus reduce the cost associated with an ageing population.

Suggested Citation

  • Angie Hartnett & Catherine Gorman, 2022. "Active Leisure and Ageing in Rural Ireland: Exploring Perceptions and Motivations to Facilitate and Promote Meaningful Physical Activity," Academica Turistica - Tourism and Innovation Journal, University of Primorska Press, vol. 15(1), pages 65-80.
    • Handle: RePEc:prp:jattij:v:15:y:2022:i:1:p:65-80
    DOI: 10.26493/2335-4194.
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.hippocampus.si/ISSN/2335-4194/15.65-80.pdf
    File Function: full text in English
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.26493/2335-4194.?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Becca R. Levy & Martin D. Slade & Stanislav V. Kasl, 2002. "Longitudinal Benefit of Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging on Functional Health," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 57(5), pages 409-417.
    2. Louise Broderick & Ruth McCullagh & Eleanor Bantry White & Eileen Savage & Suzanne Timmons, 2015. "Perceptions, Expectations, and Informal Supports Influence Exercise Activity in Frail Older Adults," SAGE Open, , vol. 5(2), pages 21582440155, April.
    3. Deirdre A Robertson & George M Savva & Bellinda L King-Kallimanis & Rose Anne Kenny, 2015. "Negative Perceptions of Aging and Decline in Walking Speed: A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-17, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Emma Nilsson & Helena Igelström & Irene Vikman & Agneta Larsson & Mascha Pauelsen, 2021. "Positive Self-Perceptions of Aging Play a Significant Role in Predicting Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-10, October.
    2. Zhifei He & Zhaohui Cheng & Tian Shao & Chunyan Liu & Piaopiao Shao & Ghose Bishwajit & Da Feng & Zhanchun Feng, 2016. "Factors Influencing Health Knowledge and Behaviors among the Elderly in Rural China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-16, September.
    3. E-Shien Chang & Sneha Kannoth & Samantha Levy & Shi-Yi Wang & John E Lee & Becca R Levy, 2020. "Global reach of ageism on older persons’ health: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(1), pages 1-24, January.
    4. Bach Q. Ho & Kunio Shirahada, 2022. "Older People’s Knowledge Creation Motivations for Sustainable Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Margie E Lachman & Stefan Agrigoroaei, 2010. "Promoting Functional Health in Midlife and Old Age: Long-Term Protective Effects of Control Beliefs, Social Support, and Physical Exercise," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(10), pages 1-9, October.
    6. Sophie Haesen & Tenzin Wangmo & Bernice S. Elger, 2018. "Identity as an older prisoner: findings from a qualitative study in Switzerland," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 15(2), pages 199-210, June.
    7. Antonio Taboada-Vazquez & Ruben Gonzalez-Rodriguez & Manuel Gandoy-Crego & Miguel Clemente, 2021. "Psychological Profile and Consumption of Healthcare Resources in Actively Employed People, Pre-Retirees, and Retirees," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-11, April.
    8. Liat Ayalon, 2020. "Life in a world for all ages: From a utopic idea to reality," Journal of Elder Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 1(1), pages 39-67, June.
    9. Ahra Oh & Jiyoun Kim & Eunsurk Yi & Jongseob Shin, 2020. "Verification of the Mediating Effect of Social Support on Physical Activity and Aging Anxiety of Korean Pre-Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-14, November.
    10. Verena Klusmann & Anna E. Kornadt, 2020. "Current directions in views on ageing," European Journal of Ageing, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 383-386, December.
    11. Lotte P. Brinkhof & Sanne de Wit & Jaap M. J. Murre & Harm J. Krugers & K. Richard Ridderinkhof, 2022. "The Subjective Experience of Ageism: The Perceived Ageism Questionnaire (PAQ)," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-21, July.
    12. Tomáš Doseděl & Tereza Menšíková & Lucie Vidovićová, 2020. "Scaling Down the PGCM Scale to Assess Views on Ageing More Efficiently: Finding a New Alternative," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Wang, Kun & Gu, Danan, 2023. "Reciprocal associations between social media use and self-perception of aging among older adults: Do men and women differ?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
    14. Macé, Serge & Le Lec, Fabrice, 2011. "On fatalistic long-term health behavior," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 434-439, June.
    15. Bailis, Daniel S. & Chipperfield, Judith G. & Helgason, Tiffany R., 2008. "Collective self-esteem and the onset of chronic conditions and reduced activity in a longitudinal study of aging," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(8), pages 1817-1827, April.
    16. Qingxiu Dang & Baoshan Zhang, 2022. "Linkage from Self-Sacrifice to Hope Through the Intervening Roles of Perceived Family Support and Attitudes to Aging in Chinese Older Adults," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 2405-2426, August.
    17. Julia K. Wolff & Benjamin Schüz & Jochen P. Ziegelmann & Lisa M. Warner & Susanne Wurm, 2017. "Short-Term Buffers, but Long-Term Suffers? Differential Effects of Negative Self-Perceptions of Aging Following Serious Health Events," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 72(3), pages 408-414.
    18. Anna E Kornadt & Jelena S Siebert & Hans-Werner Wahl, 2019. "The interplay of personality and attitudes toward own aging across two decades of later life," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-20, October.
    19. Yanika Gauci & Simon Grima & Yannis Thalassinos & Inna Romanova, 2021. "Training in the Financial Industry: An Effectiveness Study on a Small EU Island State," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1), pages 1258-1287.
    20. Benoit, Laelia & Russo, Thomas & Barry, Caroline & Falissard, Bruno & Henckes, Nicolas, 2019. "“You have to believe in something”: Risk of psychosis and psychiatrists’ beliefs in the self-fulfilling prophecy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 230(C), pages 20-29.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:prp:jattij:v:15:y:2022:i:1:p:65-80. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Alen Jezovnik (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://academica.turistica.si .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.