Older adults left home mostly for physical exercise during the first wave of COVID-19

In the spring of 2020, when the first wave of pandemic coronavirus hit in Finland, older adults reduced their activities outside the home. During a period of government restrictions, physical exercise was the most common reason for leaving home, a recent study at the Faculty of Sports and Health Sciences at Jyväskylä University found.

In the spring of 2020, it was feared that the closure of many activity destinations and the proposals to avoid close contact with people from other households imposed by the government would reduce levels of physical activity, and therefore adversely affect ability of physical activity of older adults. According to our research, this was not true, however. “

Erja Portegijs, Principal Investigator

During the restriction period, it was possible to exercise physically and walk outdoors, for example, in nature, and even encouraged by the government later in the spring.

“This study shows that physical exercise is the most common reason for going out,” Portegijs adds. “Furthermore, older participants had little reason to go out beyond grocery purchases in the first spring of pandemic.”

Previous research shows that all activities outside of one’s own home are beneficial for physical activity. As the reasons for leaving home were very limited in the first spring of the pandemic, more research is needed to determine what the long-term effect is on mobility and maintaining function.

“This research is unique, even if it was based on data from only 44 participants,” Portegijs says. “Previously, we did not know where older adults moved and why. It is possible to study where people use a map-based questionnaire. This is one of the first studies to use such a questionnaire in older adults. “

Because coronavirus-related measures vary widely between countries, it is uncertain whether these results are common to other countries. In Finland, invitations were not implemented and government restrictions were largely based on proposals rather than enforcement rules.

In 2017 and 2018, a map-based questionnaire was used to collect data on frequently visited activity destinations as part of the larger AGNES study among 75-, 80-, and 85-year-old adults who lives in the city of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. In May and June 2020, participants were invited to complete the map-based questionnaire following a postal questionnaire. Few participants were able to use digital devices independently and thus participate. These participants had slightly better health and function than the others.

“As capabilities to use digital devices improve among the aging population, the appropriateness of map-based survey methods will further increase,” Portegijs points out.