Older adults benefit from a new community-based physical activity programme

Abstract

ABSTRACT Flow and balance (FAB) is a non-pharmaceutical leisure-time physical activity programme, known as a common health practice for older adults in Korea. It comprises a series of coordinated dance routines, including breathing, balancing, and tapping motions performed on Korean folk music. This study explored a range of experiential characteristics associated with exercising FAB. We used in-depth interviews with older adults (n = 9) from a local community centre in a southern state of the USA who had attended a FAB programme for eight months. The data were coded and analyzed using constant comparison method. The following three themes emerged as a result of the analyses, that is, the uniqueness of the programme; its benefits for physical/mental health and social connectedness; and its role in later-life learning. We suggest that FAB is a practical and broadly applicable leisure-time physical activity for a community setting.