CAN THE RETIREMENT TRANSITION BE USED TO INFLUENCE HEALTH PROMOTION INTERVENTIONS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR IN OLDER PERSONS?

J. Xerri de Caro¹, K. Spiteri², K. Grafton³, D. Broom²

¹University of Malta, Physiotherapy, Malta, Malta, ²Coventry University, Coventry, United Kingdom, ³University of Lincoln, Lincoln, United Kingdom

Background: Retirement is a life event that is characterised by an individual’s exit from the workforce, with behavioural withdrawal from work. Few studies have explored how the experience of retirement could influence physical activity and sedentary behaviour. This report sits within the context of a Ph.D. study that sought to learn from the lived experience of persons passing through the retirement transition vis-à-vis their attitudes towards PA & SB, in order to understand their perspectives towards it, and as a conclusion to see if it would be possible to identify an appropriate period to intervene. This would mean that a physiotherapist could exert influence to promote positive health behaviours at a reasonable time.

Purpose: To explore predictors of any changes in PA and SB through the retirement transition.

Methods: A longitudinal cohort study was planned over two years, based on a social constructionist approach, using a narrative methodology. Participants included public service employees, aged 60 years and over, who were due to officially retire within one year. The recruitment period took place between September 2019 and January 2020. All participants were followed up two years later. On recruitment, data was collected via semi-structured interviews, and guided by the theoretical domain framework the perceptions towards PA &, SB were sought, including their views towards how retirement could impact these health behaviours. Two years later participants were re-interviewed to explore how retirement had influenced their PA and SB. Quota sampling set at 20 participants was used to determine the sample. The data was analysed longitudinally using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA) and structural narrative analysis (SNA). Data analysis triangulation was carried out.

Results: 95% (19/20) of the participants sat for a follow-up interview. Two themes were identified via RTA: ‘The retirement plan is influenced by the transition’ and ‘The impact of retirement is inexorable’. Via the SNA it was recognised that as a person reaches retirement age, life-planning starts, and this is followed by the decision to retire, and finally retirement. Throughout this process (the retirement process adjustments are made (the adjustment period). When triangulating the findings from the RTA and SNA it was identified that getting older triggered a need to plan for retirement; at this stage, people start planning what to do when they retire. The adjustment period is influenced by the retirement transition, and is dependent on the person’s resources. Other findings included the realisation that previous PA behaviours predicted attitudes to future PA behaviours, but this is not so for SB.

Conclusions: The retirement transition offers an opportune moment - an entry point – to influence health behaviour.

Implications: Physiotherapists play a pivotal role in influencing positive health behaviours. Health promotion interventions to promote PA and reduce SB after retirement should be targeted during the retirement transition.

Funding acknowledgements: The research work disclosed is partly funded by the ENDEAVOUR scholarship scheme Group B- National funds Malta

Keywords:
Physical activity
Sedentary behaviour
Active ageing

Topics:
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Coventry University

Committee: Coventry University ethics

Ethics number: P115641