"Det fellesskapet du møtte hver gang på trening bidro til at du ville bli med på alt" : en kvalitativ studie om eldre menns erfaringer av å delta i en systematisk styrketrening

Abstract

Background: Today the elder live longer than earlier and as a result of the increase in life expectancy more people suffer from chronic disease. To accommodate the strong growth in population there has become an increased focus on improving the public health. Autumn 2012 an intervention study (called SARA elderly) based on strength training, was conducted with elderly men between the ages of 60-81. Several of the men reported changes in terms of an increase in general satisfaction, improved mood, improved sleep quality and overall quality of life during the training period. Aim: The aim of this study is to get a deeper understanding of what makes elderly participate in such systematic strength training. The issue of this study is: the elderly man's experience of participating in systematic strength training, and what kind of potential benefits they receive- with respect to mood, sleep, energy and health. Method: A qualitative design was chosen, and 3 focus group interviews were conducted on a total of 15 elderly men who had participated in the SARA elderly intervention. The analysis is based on the systematic text condensation described by Malterud. Findings: Several of the participants were engaged in the health impact of the project; they find that group-based resistance training is important at their age. The study resulted in four main themes; social meeting place, peace of mind and more energy, functional body and progress brings many benefits. Conclusion: The study expresses both the desire and need for a strength training program designed for elderly. Not only does the strength training result in physical and mental benefits but perhaps most important is the perception of a social gain. Keywords: Public Health; Health Promotion; Elderly; Strength Training; Functionality; Energy; Social Meetingplace