Transition into retirement; active aging through the sociability of exercise?

Folkehelsemeldingen vektlegger viktigheten av aktiv aldring, og overgangen til pensjon sees som en viktig fase. I studien utforskes faktorer som bidrar til deltakelse i lokale aktivitetsfellesskap.

Background: In the face of significant growth in the elderly population within the Norwegian society, promoting increased physical activity emerges as an increasingly important tool for fostering healthier aging Helsedirektoratet, 2022, 2023, Stenvold et al., 2020). The aim of this research project is to explore the formation of exercise habits during the transition from work life to retirement, a pivotal moment for potential changes in health lifestyles (Eklund et al., 2021, Meld. St. 15 (2022—2023), Vansweevelt et al., 2022).

Health-related lifestyle research often stems from an individualistic paradigm, viewing lifestyle as a result of conscious, rational choices (Thing, 2008). This study adopts a sociological perspective, emphasizing the significant influence of social, institutional, and structural factors on our daily habits (Cockerham 2005, 2021, 2023). , the study can contribute to a detailed understanding

Method: With a qualitative approach, the study explores the nuances of exercise context and social capital in shaping exercise habits. Two months of observations in a rural communal health club and swimming pool was combined with six in-depth qualitative interviews with women in their sixties, regularly attending the facility following their retirement. The thematic analysis combines Elias and Dunning’s theoretical concept of the Spare-time Spectrum (1986) with Crossley’s embodied theory of practice (2001).

Results: Newly retired women feel a strong entitlement to prioritize leisure activities of their own choice after a lifetime of duties and constrains in the time bind of work and family, when their Spare-time Spectrum significantly widens upon retirement. The welcoming atmosphere of the communal swimming pool and the organization of the training met this demand, as the activities and context fostered a “leisure-gemeinschaft” that was a source of social capital. In addition, exercising in the pool evoked an embodied, “mimetic” sensation of wellness. These leisurely qualities were identified as crucial to the formation of their regular exercise practice.

Conclusion: The biomedical perspective often adopted in public health initiatives to increase physical activity among the elderly may inadvertently be counterproductive, as new retirees feel entitled to prioritize leisure activities over spare-time duties. Interventions aimed at active aging might enhance their effectiveness by facilitating sociability and pleasurable bodily experiences through low threshold group activities tailored to a variety of taste preferences. Venues for physical activity hold potential for contributing to increased community participation for new retirees by filling some of the void left by the loss of collegial fellowship upon retirement.