This public lecture was given by Professor Cassie Phoenix, Director of the Moving Bodies Lab, Durham University Discovery Research Platform for Medical Humanities (funded by the Wellcome Trust). Cassie’s lecture highlighted the complexities associated in engaging with physical activity. Cassie briefly outlined some of the common challenges reported by older adults which hinder their engagement with physical activity/movement (for example, shame, guilt, performance anxiety) and linked these to broader social forces, highlighting the impact especially of ageism. Cassie encouraged the audience to think critically about the impact that ageism and ableism might have on older people who are exhorted to ‘be more active’ as well as looking at the wider forces at play in supporting older people to be / remain physically active. Some of the factors she identified included, the role and value of pleasure, social relationships, mastery and self-compassion in managing potential changes to health and the complexities of daily life.
Moving Bodies – Durham University
The Ageing and Physical Activity Network (TAPA)
Prof Mo Ray, Mr Tom George, Dr Hannah Henderson, Dr Trish Jackman and Dr Jo Blackwell