Aquatic Exercise among Older Adults: A Qualitative Investigation

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine how older adults understood their exercise with particular attention to enrollment in an aquatic exercise class and subsequent compliance with participation in a 6-week class. Participants were interviewed and their narratives about exercise and the program were recorded. Five main themes emerged after transcripts were independently reviewed by the authors, including affective accounts that surrounded participation, exercise defined through somatic signs, social support associated with better attendance, exercise class as an "organizing structure," and difficulty in knowing how much exercise was "enough." Implications for future generations (eg, millennials) are discussed.