Investigation of social support provided for senior citizens in six-week virtual exercise program

Mini-Oral Presentation C3.8

Authors

  • Takahiro Sato Western New Mexico University
  • Susumu Iwasaki Fort Lewis College
  • Garrett L. Peltonen Western New Mexico University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.782

Keywords:

Senior Citizens, Community-Based Exercise Program, Social Support, Zoom

Abstract

Background: Providing social support is considered key for senior citizens to increase adherence to physical activity. Purpose: To qualitatively investigate the types of social support provided for senior participants by instructors during a six-week community-based virtual exercise program. Methods: The six-week exercise intervention, being offered via Zoom under the COVID-19 pandemic, consisted of bi-weekly whole body resistance training sessions that lasted 1 hour in duration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually with two exercise groups consisting of two instructors and eight senior participants on a weekly basis. Results: Qualitative analysis revealed that the instructors provided the senior participants with encouragement implementing specific strategies including the instructional, behavioral, and motivational approaches, while the senior participants felt encouraged by their instructors utilizing the forementioned approaches. The participants also felt challenged in ways that the instructors challenged their participants, such as providing tough exercises. The senior participants perceived that Zoom sessions exceeded their expectations and accepted it positively, while both instructors and participants had to handle technological difficulties. Conclusions: Data indicate that exercise instructors demonstrated various kinds of social support to encourage and challenge the senior participants while the senior participants coincidently perceived to be supported by the instructors in a six-week virtual exercise program offered via Zoom. The senior participants perceived the virtual class to be effective. Funding: Western New Mexico University Research Grant.

Published

2021-09-30

How to Cite

Sato, T., Iwasaki, S., & Peltonen, G. (2021). Investigation of social support provided for senior citizens in six-week virtual exercise program: Mini-Oral Presentation C3.8. The Health & Fitness Journal of Canada, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.14288/hfjc.v14i3.782