{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/10120"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/10120","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Understanding Older Adults' Perceptions of Participation in Physical Exercise: A Life Course Approach","abstract":"The purpose of this study was to explore older adults' perceptions of participation in physical exercise throughout the life course. Using a life course perspective as the theoretical framework for this study, I identified the factors in older adults' lives that may or may not lead to continuous participation in physical exercise throughout life. Through in-depth interviews with nine men and six women who are members of the Wellness Center in Southwest Virginia, I gained a precise understanding of how societal processes and opportunities, life course roles and transitions, and individual meanings of physical exercise influenced perceptions of participation in physical exercise. Several conclusions were drawn from the findings of this research. First, the older adults' reported perceived changes in their perceptions and definitions of physical exercise in accordance with life stages and particular roles (i.e., parenthood and career) throughout their lives. Second, the older adults' believed that geographical location and societal influences and opportunities had a tremendous impact on their participation in physical activity as children. Third, the older adults' indicated that childhood involvement in physical activity was very influential to their participation in physical activities and exercise throughout life. Fourth, changing patterns of physical activity and exercise participation were associated with altered role transitions and altered opportunities during young and middle adulthood. Fifth, retirement provided the older adults with a great deal of freedom and opportunity to participate in physical exercise. Finally, the older adults' participation in physical exercise contributed to their quality of life.","abstract_html":"The purpose of this study was to explore older adults' perceptions of participation in physical exercise throughout the life course. Using a life course perspective as the theoretical framework for this study, I identified the factors in older adults' lives that may or may not lead to continuous participation in physical exercise throughout life. Through in-depth interviews with nine men and six women who are members of the Wellness Center in Southwest Virginia, I gained a precise understanding of how societal processes and opportunities, life course roles and transitions, and individual meanings of physical exercise influenced perceptions of participation in physical exercise. Several conclusions were drawn from the findings of this research. First, the older adults' reported perceived changes in their perceptions and definitions of physical exercise in accordance with life stages and particular roles (i.e., parenthood and career) throughout their lives. Second, the older adults' believed that geographical location and societal influences and opportunities had a tremendous impact on their participation in physical activity as children. Third, the older adults' indicated that childhood involvement in physical activity was very influential to their participation in physical activities and exercise throughout life. Fourth, changing patterns of physical activity and exercise participation were associated with altered role transitions and altered opportunities during young and middle adulthood. Fifth, retirement provided the older adults with a great deal of freedom and opportunity to participate in physical exercise. Finally, the older adults' participation in physical exercise contributed to their quality of life.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Scanlon, Jennifer Margaret"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Human Development","degree_department":"Human Development","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Roberto, Karen A."],"committee_members":["Teaster, Pamela B.","Blieszner, Rosemary"],"year":2004,"date_issued":"2004-07-26","date_published":"2004-07-26","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:55Z","subjects":["Physical Exercise","physical activities","older adults","Exercise","life course perspective"],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-050799-172859"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-050799-172859","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/10120","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Roberto, Karen A."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Teaster, Pamela B.","Blieszner, Rosemary"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Human Development"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Scanlon, Jennifer Margaret"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2011-08-06T16:06:25Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2011-08-06T16:06:25Z","2000-05-26"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2004-07-26"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Human Development"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Physical Exercise","physical activities","older adults","Exercise","life course perspective"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-050799-172859"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/10120"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The purpose of this study was to explore older adults' perceptions of participation in physical exercise throughout the life course. Using a life course perspective as the theoretical framework for this study, I identified the factors in older adults' lives that may or may not lead to continuous participation in physical exercise throughout life. Through in-depth interviews with nine men and six women who are members of the Wellness Center in Southwest Virginia, I gained a precise understanding of how societal processes and opportunities, life course roles and transitions, and individual meanings of physical exercise influenced perceptions of participation in physical exercise. Several conclusions were drawn from the findings of this research. First, the older adults' reported perceived changes in their perceptions and definitions of physical exercise in accordance with life stages and particular roles (i.e., parenthood and career) throughout their lives. Second, the older adults' believed that geographical location and societal influences and opportunities had a tremendous impact on their participation in physical activity as children. Third, the older adults' indicated that childhood involvement in physical activity was very influential to their participation in physical activities and exercise throughout life. Fourth, changing patterns of physical activity and exercise participation were associated with altered role transitions and altered opportunities during young and middle adulthood. Fifth, retirement provided the older adults with a great deal of freedom and opportunity to participate in physical exercise. Finally, the older adults' participation in physical exercise contributed to their quality of life."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Understanding Older Adults' Perceptions of Participation in Physical Exercise: A Life Course Approach"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Roberto, Karen A."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Teaster, Pamela B.","Blieszner, Rosemary"],"dc:contributor.department":["Human Development"],"dc:creator":["Scanlon, Jennifer Margaret"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2011-08-06T16:06:25Z"],"dc:date.available":["2011-08-06T16:06:25Z","2000-05-26"],"dc:date.issued":["2004-07-26"],"dc:description.abstract":["The purpose of this study was to explore older adults' perceptions of participation in physical exercise throughout the life course. Using a life course perspective as the theoretical framework for this study, I identified the factors in older adults' lives that may or may not lead to continuous participation in physical exercise throughout life. Through in-depth interviews with nine men and six women who are members of the Wellness Center in Southwest Virginia, I gained a precise understanding of how societal processes and opportunities, life course roles and transitions, and individual meanings of physical exercise influenced perceptions of participation in physical exercise. Several conclusions were drawn from the findings of this research. First, the older adults' reported perceived changes in their perceptions and definitions of physical exercise in accordance with life stages and particular roles (i.e., parenthood and career) throughout their lives. Second, the older adults' believed that geographical location and societal influences and opportunities had a tremendous impact on their participation in physical activity as children. Third, the older adults' indicated that childhood involvement in physical activity was very influential to their participation in physical activities and exercise throughout life. Fourth, changing patterns of physical activity and exercise participation were associated with altered role transitions and altered opportunities during young and middle adulthood. Fifth, retirement provided the older adults with a great deal of freedom and opportunity to participate in physical exercise. Finally, the older adults' participation in physical exercise contributed to their quality of life."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-050799-172859"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/10120"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Physical Exercise","physical activities","older adults","Exercise","life course perspective"],"dc:title":["Understanding Older Adults' Perceptions of Participation in Physical Exercise: A Life Course Approach"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Human Development"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:18:55Z"}