TY - ABST

T1 - “I should have been dead at 40, what am I worried about?”

T2 - International Conference on Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise

AU - Wilcock, Laura

AU - Sparkes, Andrew

AU - Williams, Toni

AU - Evans, Adam B.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Objectives: The concepts of ageing and disability are often considered in isolation and the experiences of those ageing with disability are overlooked. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the leisure time physical activity (LTPA) experiences of older adults who are ageing with a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine spinal cord injured men over the age of 50. All participants were injured through playing rugby union and the length of time since injury ranged from 19 to 56 years. Interview data was subject to a thematic analysis.Findings and Discussion: Experiences of LTPA can be altered dramatically by SCI and this presentation reports in depth on specific themes identified within interview data relating to the impact of ableism and ageing on such experiences. The belief that sport is ‘not for me’, the problematic nature of the normative view of ‘successful ageing’, and the absence of narrative resources that exist for older adults with SCI are discussed in relation to engagement in LTPA. The implications of these findings for our understanding of LTPA for individuals ageing with SCI are discussed in relation to dominant cultural narratives of both disability and ageing.Conclusions: This research suggests that dominant cultural narratives regarding disability and ageing can have a profound effect on the LTPA experiences of individuals who are ageing with SCI, and so they need to be challenged as part of expanding the narrative resources available to people as they age with SCI.

AB - Objectives: The concepts of ageing and disability are often considered in isolation and the experiences of those ageing with disability are overlooked. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the leisure time physical activity (LTPA) experiences of older adults who are ageing with a spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine spinal cord injured men over the age of 50. All participants were injured through playing rugby union and the length of time since injury ranged from 19 to 56 years. Interview data was subject to a thematic analysis.Findings and Discussion: Experiences of LTPA can be altered dramatically by SCI and this presentation reports in depth on specific themes identified within interview data relating to the impact of ableism and ageing on such experiences. The belief that sport is ‘not for me’, the problematic nature of the normative view of ‘successful ageing’, and the absence of narrative resources that exist for older adults with SCI are discussed in relation to engagement in LTPA. The implications of these findings for our understanding of LTPA for individuals ageing with SCI are discussed in relation to dominant cultural narratives of both disability and ageing.Conclusions: This research suggests that dominant cultural narratives regarding disability and ageing can have a profound effect on the LTPA experiences of individuals who are ageing with SCI, and so they need to be challenged as part of expanding the narrative resources available to people as they age with SCI.

M3 - Conference abstract for conference

Y2 - 29 July 2024 through 1 August 2024

ER -