Life-course perspective for physical activity and sports participation

The purpose of this paper was to discuss physical activity and sports participation in a life-course framework, long-term tracking, determinants, and correlates of physical activity from childhood to old age, and present possible causal links and pathways for the continuity of physical activity. It seems that intensive participation in general in physical activity and sports, as well as participation at school age, are important predictors of adulthood participation. Especially, inactivity rather than activity tends to track from youth to adulthood. Socioeconomic status, place of residence, and personal upward social mobility are related to participation. If physical activity is at a low level in early adulthood, it does not easily become a part of life later on, particularly among blue-collar workers, women, and people with initially poor perceived health. Furthermore, in old age, earlier physical activity seems to be the key determinant along with gender. Repeated social reinforcement in the form of support for autonomy, competence, and relatedness is important especially in transition periods and life events such as secondary schooling, change in employment, and change in family structure. In contrast, retirement presented itself as a good chance of starting new leisure time activities. A life-course approach provides understanding on long-ranging developmental trajectories. According to these results in particular, the polarization of exercise to the active and inactive portions of the population is accumulated over time, and gender and social background features require special attention.     

Why do able‐bodied people take part in wheelchair sports?

Recently able-bodied people have taken up wheelchair sports. This paper aims to explore why people are taking up a sport which may be considered to 'belong' to disabled people and explore the impact of reverse integration. A questionnaire covering demographic details, experiences of wheelchair sport and perceptions of both able-bodied and disabled wheelchair athletes was distributed by e-mail via elite wheelchair athletic associations in the UK, Canada, The Netherlands and the USA. Twenty participants were recruited (11 disabled athletes, four female, and nine able-bodied athletes, three female). Able-bodied people initially became involved in wheelchair sports in order to share an activity with their disabled friends or family. Continuing participation was reinforced by friendship, challenge, achievement, the opportunity for good competition, development of the sport and to change society's perceptions of disability. Perceptions varied according to the policies relating to inclusion adopted by the sports governing body within the participants' countries.     

The role of neighborhood physical environment on mobility and social participation among people using mobility assistive technology

This paper presents a systematic literature review on the impact of the neighborhood physical environment on mobility and social participation among people using mobility assistive technology (MAT). Peer-reviewed articles from eight databases published in French or English from 1990 to 2016 were searched. Thirty studies were included in this review. Factors related to neighborhood environmental features, mobility in transit, and accessibility of homes and public buildings influenced mobility and social participation of MAT users. The majority of reviewed studies combined different types of MAT, which made the interpretation of the results challenging. Few studies included walker, cane, and crutch users. Definitions of mobility and social participation lacked consistency and were often simplistic. Future empirical research needs to examine the impact of neighborhood physical environment factors separately for different MAT users. Causality and links between mobility and social participation of different MAT users at the neighborhood level should be further explored.     

Housing for the aging population

Based on the concept of ‘aging in place,’ design of houses in the past years are explored. Design features in the built environment become barriers for aging people with functional limitations. Initially, houses were designed according to the required needs of the user with the physical limitations. Later, adaptable house design was introduced that allows the house to meet the specific needs of the user, while maintaining the appearance of the house until more obvious accessibility features are needed. Today, ‘design for all’ is recognised as a tool for ensuring physical accessibility for aging people. The holistic perspective embedded in the universal design theory should be systematically and consistently developed during the design process.     

Ergonomics and accessibility for people with visual impairment in hotels

This article presents a diagnosis of luxury or superior hotels in the city of Natal, located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, in northeastern Brazil, in what concerns accessibility to the visually impaired. The main objective is to present the guiding principles to design actions and interventions that must be considered in the preparation or revision of technical standards and manuals of good practice in accessibility related to people with visual impairments who are hotel users. The survey showed that the hotels do not meet the normative indications of accessibility, their facilities are in-accessible (have prevented access) or of reduced accessibility and its employees are not prepared to provide adequate hospital services for people with visual impairment. It was concluded that some of the accessibility problems faced by people with visual impairments are also faced by people in general.     

The Development of a Multi-dimensional Gambling Accessibility Scale

The aim of the current study was to develop a scale of gambling accessibility that would have theoretical significance to exposure theory and also serve to highlight the accessibility risk factors for problem gambling. Scale items were generated from the Productivity Commission’s (Australia’s Gambling Industries: Report No. 10. AusInfo, Canberra, 1999) recommendations and tested on a group with high exposure to the gambling environment. In total, 533 gaming venue employees (aged 18–70 years; 67% women) completed a questionnaire that included six 13-item scales measuring accessibility across a range of gambling forms (gaming machines, keno, casino table games, lotteries, horse and dog racing, sports betting). Also included in the questionnaire was the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) along with measures of gambling frequency and expenditure. Principal components analysis indicated that a common three factor structure existed across all forms of gambling and these were labelled social accessibility, physical accessibility and cognitive accessibility. However, convergent validity was not demonstrated with inconsistent correlations between each subscale and measures of gambling behaviour. These results are discussed in light of exposure theory and the further development of a multi-dimensional measure of gambling accessibility.     

Motives for and barriers to physical activity among older adults with mobility limitations

The purpose of this study was to investigate what older adults with severe, moderate, or no mobility limitation consider motives for and barriers to engaging in physical exercise. Community-dwelling adults (N=645) age 75-81 years completed a questionnaire about their motives for and barriers to physical exercise and answered interview questions on mobility limitation. Those with severely limited mobility more often reported poor health, fear and negative experiences, lack of company, and an unsuitable environment as barriers to exercise than did those with no mobility limitation. They also accentuated disease management as a motive for exercise, whereas those with no or moderate mobility limitation emphasized health promotion and positive experiences related to exercise. Information about differences in motives for and barriers to exercise among people with and without mobility limitation helps tailor support systems that support engagement in physical activity among older adults.     

Community Integration of Older People with Developmental Disabilities in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

To understand the community integration of adults with developmental disabilities in Hong Kong, a comprehensive measure includes four dimensions, pertaining to social activity, social services, interpersonal behavior, and people involved in social interaction. Applying this measure to 692 adults (aged 15–62), the territory-wide study finds that these adults lack company for out-of-home activities and community activities despite their higher knowledge, assertiveness, social interaction, and feeling accepted in the community. With the strengthening of many conditions (including knowledge and community support) for community integration, the adults tend to have greater need for empowerment to enhance their active participation in community activities.     

Socio-economic patterns of sport demand and ageing

Due to the demographic situation in nowadays societies, physical activity, and sport expenditure have to be analysed from a demographic as well as socio-economical perspective. This means that determinants such as age, gender, nationality/ethnicity, income, time, educational level, profession, and social status have to be taken into account. However, when comparing the various studies, the different methods of analysis and different operationalisation of variables have to be considered. This is in particular vital investigating age. Whilst cross-sectional studies point out that physical activity generally decreases with increasing age, longitudinal analyses come to different results. Previous studies indicate that pertaining to gender more men take part in sports than women. However, considering period and cohort effects, recent longitudinal studies showed that women participate more in sport than in the past. Besides, it was found out that men generally tend to spend more money on sports than women do. A further finding is that the educational level influences physical activity positively. Research revealed that income had a positive impact on both, physical activity and sport expenditure.     

The implications of disability protests for social work practice

This article examines the demands which have been made in the over 800 US protests this author has analyzed. Some demands are cross-disability, meaning they could apply to people with all types of impairments; these include demands for rights and accessibility in all domains. Other demands are disability-specific: they apply to people with specific types of impairments, ranging from mobility impairments to developmental disabilities. Many demands have been related to services, which can be either cross-disability or disability-specific. The paper examines the implications of these demands for social work practice. These include that disability be de-stigmatized by practitioners, that people with disabilities have choices, that they have control over their services, and that all aspects of social work practice be accessible to people with any type of disability.     

Relationships Among Active Engagement in Life Activities and Quality of Life for Assisted-Living Residents

This cross-sectional research explored the relationships between active engagement in life activities (leisure, social, and instrumental activities of daily living) and quality of life for seniors aged 65 and older residing in assisted living facilities. It is increasingly recognized that active participation in diverse physical, cognitive, and social activities can promote older adults’ quality of life, including physical and mental health, but there is limited information about this in the population of residents in assisted living facilities. It is estimated that there are one million older adults residing in assisted living facilities, making assisted living facilities a rapidly growing segment of senior housing. Older adults who relocate to assisted living facilities commonly experience lifestyle changes, often related to their altered physical and social environment, reduced demands regarding household chores and meal preparation, and new opportunities for recreation and socialization. In this study, interviews were conducted with 131 ambulatory residents from assisted living facilities in the New York City metropolitan area using the 55-Item Activity Checklist, SF-36v2, Life Satisfaction Index-Z, and demographic questions. Results found significant low to moderate correlations between retained engagement in life activities (leisure, social, and instrumental activities of daily living) and life satisfaction, and several quality of life domains, including physical functioning, mental health, general health, and vitality. Older adults continued to engage in a greater percentage of everyday life activities they identified as important. This data supports exploration of client-centered activity programs to promote participation of residents in assisted living facilities in diverse activities to both maintain resident functional abilities and manage functional decline.     

The Implications of Disability Protests for Social Work Practice

Abstract

This article examines the demands which have been made in the over 800 US protests this author has analyzed. Some demands are cross-disability, meaning they could apply to people with all types of impairments; these include demands for rights and accessibility in all domains. Other demands are disability-specific: they apply to people with specific types of impairments, ranging from mobility impairments to developmental disabilities. Many demands have been related to services, which can be either cross-disability or disability-specific. The paper examines the implications of these demands for social work practice. These include that disability be de-stigmatized by practitioners, that people with disabilities have choices, that they have control over their services, and that all aspects of social work practice be accessible to people with any type of disability.     

Ergonomic aspects to be considered in planning public spaces destined for elderly people

As has happened in many other countries, Brazil has also witnessed an evident change in the question of accessibility over the last twenty years. In line with this theme, that of old age has only become evident in the last two decades. For a long period of time, the elderly have been systematically ignored as an object of investigation and have not been contemplated with consistent public social policies. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to verify the conditions of physical accessibility that allow the elderly to use public spaces, taking as a study case the S?o Gon?alo square and the Solón de Lucena Park, in the city of Jo?o Pessoa--PB, identifying the biological and functional losses suffered by elderly people due to the aging process and verifying the specific physical needs of this segment of the population. Qualitative methods were adopted, such as systematic observations with the production of behaviour maps, in addition to a review of the literature and analysis of the data. The research identified problems related to the physical accessibility of the elderly to public spaces that generate difficulties for displacement, use, information and orientation, contributing to the planning and ergonomic guidelines which aim at improving these environments, such as the use of different and contrasting colours on the urban furniture and floor, for example.     

Methodological proceedings to evaluate the physical accessibility in urban historic sites

Historic urban sites are set by cultural and social diversities, generating multiple activities and use and access to these sites should be available to all people including those with disabilities. Taking into consideration that using the same methodology that was used in different historic sites researches with positive results facilitates replication, we aimed to develop methodological procedures that identify conditions of physical accessibility in open public spaces and access to public buildings in historic urban sites to support proposals about design requirements for improvements to the problems diagnosed and control inadequacies of the physical environment. The study methods and techniques from different areas of knowledge culminated in a proposal built with an emphasis on user participation that could be applied with low cost and in relatively short period of time.     

The Accessibility of Public Spaces for People with Dementia: a new priority for the 'open city'

The social model of disability de-medicalises disability and politicises it as an issue of universal rights. However, the rights of people with dementia have been less strongly advocated than those of people with physical disabilities. This is particularly the case with environmental planning and design. The needs of people with dementia are now informing the design of residential homes and day centres, but the issue of accessibility to public spaces and amenities has been almost completely neglected. Many outdoor environments such as shopping centres or parks may be inhospitable for people with dementia because they are disorientating, difficult to interpret and navigate, threatening or distressing. The article reviews the literature on indoor design for dementia, reports on research investigating the accessibility of outdoor environments, and describes a new approach using virtual reality technology to enable people with dementia to identify and test outdoor design and planning improvements themselves.     

Village Facilities and Social Place Attachment in the Rural Netherlands

Economies of scale and increased mobility have led to the closure of many village facilities. Most residents do not rely on locally available facilities anymore for their primary function. However, facilities are also meeting places. A decline in facilities may therefore negatively influence residents' social place attachment. This article examines which facilities impact residents' social place attachment. It also explores whether different facilities impact the social place attachment of different groups of residents differently. In our analyses, we make a distinction between rural areas near and away from urban areas. Based on structural equation modeling, we conclude that in rural areas, both near and away from cities, cafés and supermarkets may well matter for residents' social attachment. In contrast to common expectations, community centers, primary schools, and sports facilities were not shown to enhance social place attachment. Considering the increasing self‐reliance of local communities, these findings raise doubts about the use of public services to revitalize local communities.     

Mental health in vietnam and the move to incorporate social work: A mixed methods study of staff perceptions and expectations

In 2010, Vietnam established social work as a profession. As part of their strategic plan, the government aims to incorporate social work into existing hospitals and health care facilities in the country, including psychiatric hospitals and mental health care centers. This paper, based upon survey and focus group data from 194 people working in three major mental health facilities in Hanoi, explores direct care staffs’ perceptions of this historic incorporation of social work, with a particular eye to the benefits and challenges of the transition. Results show most staff members thought social workers would provide great support to the many unmet needs of their largely underserved and impoverished patients. They also viewed social workers as a potential resource to the treatment team by reducing work overload. Existing staff, however, were less attuned to the clinical functions of social workers in mental health settings, often equating social work with community development and social movements. Some were concerned about social workers taking on their tasks; others about new social workers being hindered by the professional hierarchy in which doctors were placed at the top. Successful integration of social workers will hinge on strong support from policy-makers and leaders of mental health systems.     

Acessibility in collective housing for the elderly: a case study in Portugal

Physical spaces need to be adjusted to suit the changes of a physical, cognitive and emotional order occasioned by the natural aging of people. Ergonomics of the built environment contributes to improving the interaction of the user and physical environment, with a view to their comfort and safety. By thinking through the influence that environments have on the quality of life of the elderly, this article presents an assessment of accessibility in private units--bedrooms and bathrooms--of a Long-Stay Institution for the Elderly (ILPI in Portuguese) in Portugal. The analysis of the physical and spatial conditioning factors by means of the Ergonomics Methodology for the Built Environment (EMBE), proposed by VILLAROUCO (2008), gave evidence of the need for interventions to suitably adapt physical infrastructure, with the objective of promoting the physical well-being of the elderly, and thus, enhancing the autonomy and independence of a wider range of users.     

Transnational habitus at the time of retirement

ABSTRACT

International mobility requires the shifting of bodies across places, through life courses and stages, creating individual and collective experiences that become taken for granted. They are habitus, which is the durable deployment of an individual’s body in the world, as well as a scheme of perception, thought and action that is present throughout life, including retirement. This study asks what kind of transnational habitus is visible in the narratives of interviewed older adults at the time of retirement. The answer is sought by analysing life stories of mobility from older adults who live or have lived abroad for several years. The multilocal transnational habitus of interviewees rests on their desire to maintain their mobility when retired. However, both their physical and mental international mobility are at risk when faced with an ailing body and mind, and policies allow and restrict the transferability of benefits and accessibility to services.     

Development and evaluation of the physical activity questionnaire for elderly Japanese: the Nakanojo study

The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Elderly Japanese (PAQ-EJ) is a self-administered physical activity questionnaire for elderly Japanese; the authors report here on its repeatability and direct and indirect validity. Reliability was assessed by repeat administration after 1 month. Direct validation was based on accelerometer data collected every 4 s for 1 month in 147 individuals age 65-85 years. Indirect validation against a 10-item Barthel index (activities of daily living [ADL]) was completed in 3,084 individuals age 65-99 years. The test-retest coefficient was high (r = .64-.71). Total and subtotal scores for lower (transportation, housework, and labor) and higher intensity activities (exercise/sports) were significantly correlated with step counts and durations of physical activity <3 and >or=3 METs (r = .41, .28, .53), respectively. Controlling for age and ADL, scores for transportation, exercise/sports, and labor were greater in men, but women performed more housework. Sex- and ADL- or age-adjusted PAQ-EJ scores were significantly lower in older and dependent people. PAQ-EJ repeatability and validity seem comparable to those of instruments used in Western epidemiological studies.