Exploring masters athlete swimmers' perspectives on aging and health through interpretive description

Abstract

Investigating Masters sport is important as it presents a unique context to explore physical activity participation by extending beyond the regular parameters of physical activity engagement in older adults. This study utilizes an Interpretive Description methodology conducted through semi-structured interviews with 10 Masters athlete swimmers aged 60 years and older. The findings of this study suggest that physical activity promotion in older adulthood needs to be affordable, accessible, and culturally accepted. The Masters athlete swimmers involved in this research study discussed areas that contributed to their participation including, privilege and willingness to be a member in the club, the ability to resist ageist stereotypes, and experienced support to be engaged in a Masters swim club. The sport of swimming encourages the ability to navigate multiple understandings of what it means to be a physically active older adult and how that influences their aging experiences.