The Active Ageing Pathway Evaluation project logos

What is the aim of the project?

In April 2018, as part of a Sport England-funded project that aimed to gain an understanding of how to effectively support inactive older adults aged 55 and over to become more active, Active Dorset adopted a ‘systems change’ approach to organise the various physical activity services that older adults already have access to in the Dorset area into one streamlined system.

On behalf of Active Dorset, BUCRU is carrying out part of the evaluation for this project, focused on exploring how different elements of the Dorset physical activity system support older adults to become more active.

Active Dorset hope to use the outcomes of this work to shape their knowledge and optimise the physical activity services they provide, in order to make a difference to the lives of older adults living in Dorset.

You can find out more information about Active Dorset’s Sport England-funded Project on the Active Dorset website.

What research approach will the project take?

There are 3 strands to the work:

1. A procedural study to deconstruct and characterise the content of the overall Dorset physical activity system and identify the behaviour change techniques it uses.

2. A qualitative study to explore how the LiveWell Dorset behaviour change support service influences older adults’ physical activity behaviour.

3. A qualitative study to explore how online Wellbeing Events influence older adults’ physical activity behaviour.

What are the time-lines of the project?

This work began in November 2018, and following some unexpected delays related to Covid-19, is expected to be completed by the end of 2021.

Project outputs

Journal articles:

Powell, A. and Coward, C., 2022. Attempting to Close the Evidence-Practice Gap in Physical Activity Intervention Research: Strategies and Outcomes of a Co-Creative Qualitative Study. The Qualitative Report, 27 (7), 1415-1425. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2022.5240 

Powell, A. J., & Thomas, S., 2022. Reverse coding of a common-sense physical activity intervention for older adults using elements of the Behaviour Change Wheel framework. Health Promotion Practice  https://doi.org/10.1177%2F15248399221081832

Powell, A.J. (2021). Therapeutic alliance and its potential application to physical activity interventions for older adults: A narrative review. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity. https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2021-0379 

Powell, A. J. & Thomas, S. (2021). How the LiveWell Dorset behaviour change service influences older adults’ physical activity behaviour: A generic qualitative study. Public Health in Practice, 2, 100164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2021.100164