Older adults
Older adults 55+ years life stage
The older adult life stage consists of two cohorts:
Older adults 55 to 64 years
There is an opportunity for sports to re-engage people who have been sidelined by their busy lives or that of their children. An increased desire to focus on themselves and their health could be used to reset behaviours around physical activity.
Life-stages-snapshot_55-64-years.pdf
Insights to help attract and retain participants
Active 55-64 year olds
While still being classified as active, the people in this life stage are starting to do less activities.
Most of them walk (82%) and do at least one other activity, more likely a sport. Social interaction starts to become important again in this life stage and men trend towards doing another activity as part of a sporting club or association, such as joining a swimming, cycling or running club or group. Households where children have left home, are likely to be more active.
1.2 million people41% of 55-64 year olds
8.3 Average number of sessions per week
2.5 Average number of different activities
Characteristics
- Motivated to improve their physical health or fitness, have fun and engage socially
- Participate in both sport and physical activity
- Regularly look after grandchildren
- Participate via sporting clubs or associations (mostly men).
This group are more likely to participate in sports as long as it meets their social connectedness needs.
Insights to help retain participants and keep people active
Insufficiently active 55-64 year olds
At this life stage the insufficiently active cohort drops below two activities for the first time.
Looking after grandchildren and doing house/garden work starts to substitute for an activity.
1.4 million people47% of 55-64 year olds
2.7 Average number of sessions per week
1.8 Average number of different activities
Characteristics
- Strong resistance to committing to set times and a routine
- Want to be able to change plans without guilt
- Feel embarrassed by exercising in public (mostly women)
- Sometimes find gyms and clubs intimidating
- Regularly look after grandchildren
- Believe physical activity around the house and garden is exercise, even if you are not puffing and sweating.
A socially/community connected sport experience that isn’t intimidating, can be appealing for this group.
Insights to help acquire and retain participants and get people more active
Inactive 55-64 year olds
Inactive populations are not playing sport or staying physically active. Their interest in getting more active is low or they often identify significant barriers to getting active.
In this life stage, inactivity is significantly more common for people of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin and people with disability.
342,000 people12% of 55-64 year olds
Characteristics
- Often have health related reasons to not participate
- Feel embarrassed by exercising in public (mostly women)
- Find gyms and clubs intimidating
- Say they are inactive due to lack of time and other commitments.
Insights to help understand the barriers to participation for inactive people
Older adults 65+ years
With an ageing population, there is an opportunity to provide modified sport participation products and increase the physical activity and social connection of older Australians.
Life-stages-snapshot_65-years.pdf
Insights to help attract and retain participants
Active 65+ year olds
The over 65s continue the trend of less variety in their chosen activities, but they are doing these activities more often than their younger counterparts.
In fact, at an average of 9.6 sessions per week, the active over 65s are active more often than any other adult life stage. Taking up a sport as well as walking and other physical activity is critical to this group.
899,000 people26% of 65+ year olds
9.6 Average number of sessions per week
2.3 Average number of different activities
Characteristics
- Likely to participate in both sport and physical activity
- Motivated to improve physical health or fitness, have fun and engage socially
- More likely to participate via sporting clubs and associations (mostly men).
Sports can keep this life stage engaged by offering social connection as a key part of the offering.
Insights to help retain participants and keep people active
Insufficiently active 65+ year olds
While not active enough to meet the guidelines for their age, this group is active more often than insufficiently active groups at other life stages.
They engage in less activities and they are more likely to participate in non-sport related physical activities. This is particularly the case for women in this life stage.
2.3 million people60% of 65+ year olds
3.6 Average number of sessions per week
1.7 Average number of different activities
Characteristics
- Influenced by their local neighbourhood and surroundings i.e. are less likely to be active if the paths are uneven
- Sometimes feel embarrassed by exercising in public (particularly women)
- Believe physical activity around the house and garden is strenuous enough, even if not puffing and sweating.
Sports can attract this group through addressing desires for social connection and offering activity that suits the individual's physical ability.
Insights to help acquire and retain participants and get people more active
Inactive 65+ year olds
Inactive populations are not playing sport or staying physically active. Their interest in getting more active is low or they often identify significant barriers to getting active.
In this life stage, inactivity is significantly more common for Indigenous Australians and people with disability.
553,000 people14% of 65+ year olds
Characteristics
- Often inactive due to health-related reasons
- Lack confidence and willingness to participation due to health issues and illness
- Feel embarrassed exercising in public (mostly women)
- Find gyms and clubs intimidating.
Insights to help understand the barriers to participation for inactive people
The life stages resource uses 2019 data from AusPlay; the Australian sport and physical activity participation survey.