Ett biopsykologiskt perspektiv på återgång till fysisk träning i grupp efter covid-19 i åldersgruppen 70 år och äldre - En kvalitativ studie

Sammanfattning

Background: During covid-19, restrictions were introduced that restricted public gatherings. This particularly affected the age group 70 years and older, and the elderly's ability to perform physical activity in groups. Aim: The purpose was to investigate how the return to physical exercise in groups after covid-19, affects the health of the elderly from a biopsychosocial perspective. Method: A qualitative interview study with five participants. The inclusion criteria were people over the age of 70 who participated in group training for a period of at least one year before the closure of Meeting Points in Uppsala and refrained from training in groups due to pandemic. Spoke and understood the Swedish language. Qualitative content analysis was used in the data processing. Results: The return affected the informants both physically, socially and mentally. Responses about the physical return were improved mobility, less pain and increased muscle strength, but also the impact of physical return was experienced. Due to the social aspect, the informants answered that the return gave belonging with reduced loneliness and more social behavior. The psychological factors in respect to the return were increased joy, hope and the ability to think. For some, however, no effect was felt on the ability to think when returning. Conclusion: Biopsychosocial health expressed the participants were physical capacity, social well-being and mental well-being and an important reason why they participate in the Meeting Points group-training. All the biopsychosocial aspects of group-training were absent at the social constraints during covid-19 and were more clearly experienced at the return.Physical activity in groups is therefore important for the elderly's biopsychosocial health, especially in times when social interaction is subject to restrictions.