Developing Sport for Women and Girls: Older Women

Abstract

Global populations are ageing, and ageing is often associated with a decline in health. As physical activity can positively contribute to health, there has been an increased interest in exploring the relationship between different forms of physical activity, such as sport, and older adults. Older women tend to have a longer life expectancy than men, thus this chapter will focus on older women and sport. This will include trends of older female sport participation; potential motivations and benefits for older women in sport; potential barriers that may deter their participation; and their relationship with volunteering in sport. Opportunities for future research into older women and sport; examples of practical actions to service this population; and recommendations for practitioners wishing to engage older women will be discussed, before a case study of an innovative older women’s physical activity program is presented.