“I value it, but someone should do it”: fitness staff’s perspectives on task-oriented resistance exercise in retirement communities

TL;DR

Fitness staff in retirement communities see value in task-oriented resistance exercise but face challenges in implementing it due to resource and structural limitations.

Contribution

The study introduces insights into the practical challenges of implementing task-oriented resistance exercise programs in retirement communities from fitness staff perspectives.

Findings

Fitness staff expressed positive impressions of task-oriented resistance exercise programs.

Implementation challenges include limited staffing, competing job responsibilities, and lack of healthcare collaboration.

Staff identified structural and procedural concerns like screening and exercise intensity.

Abstract

Many older adults relocate to retirement communities to age in place, particularly when facing health declines or disability. Task-oriented resistance exercise, which integrates functional daily activities into exercise, has shown benefits in reducing late-life disability. However, little is known about how such programs can be embedded within the existing fitness infrastructure of retirement communities to support residents who are at risk of disability. This study explored fitness staff’s perspectives on the compatibility and complexity of implementing a task-oriented exercise program in their communities.

A qualitative descriptive design was applied. Fourteen fitness staff members from 14 various retirement communities across Florida participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Prior to the interviews, participants were provided with a primer on the task-oriented resistance exercise program, as none were previously familiar with it. Interview data were analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Four themes emerged: (1) whether to screen or not, (2) small versus large group formats, (3) should work but cannot work, and (4) I value it, but someone should do it. While staff expressed positive impressions of the program and its potential to benefit at-risk residents, these themes reflect instructors’ ambivalence regarding program procedures (e.g., conducting screening), structural considerations (e.g., class size and exercise intensity), scope of practice (e.g., delivering exercise in residents’ homes), and resource constraints (e.g., limited fitness personnel).

Fitness staff shared a positive impression of the program and recognized its potential to support at-risk residents. Nonetheless, they also identified several potential implementation challenges, including competing job responsibilities, limited staffing, and the lack of collaboration with healthcare professionals. These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies to address these challenges.