高齡者使用健身房之調適歷程研究

Abstract

本研究旨在探討高齡者使用健身房之調適歷程，分析其運動參與的健康信念、持續運動的激勵因素、參與阻礙、調適策略，以及社會文化脈絡對其運動行為之影響。研究採質性研究方法，招募6位健身房的高齡使用者與4位健身房工作人員參與半結構式深度訪談，經由樣版式分析法 (template analysis) 進行資料分析，以探討高齡者使用健身房之調適歷程。

研究結果發現：一、高齡者進入健身房運動主要源自於老化、疾病及健康風險的威脅感知，並將健康促進視為運動參與的核心利益。健康焦慮促使高齡者採取運動行動，而自我效能則隨著持續運動及成功經驗逐步建立；二、高齡者持續參與健身房運動，受到健康促進、自我效能提升、社會支持網絡及健身房服務品質等因素之激勵，提升身體功能與健康狀態，並增進人際互動，有助於邁向成功老化；三、本研究高齡者持續參與健身房運動的阻礙，主要來自個人老化所造成的身體功能限制、家庭照顧責任、環境中健身房商業化經營下的過度推銷、不友善服務及環境衛生等因素，與過去文獻常提及的交通或費用問題有不同之發現；四、高齡者藉由量力而為、自我接納及主動調整運動時間、課程與器材等策略，在生理、心理及環境層面逐步完成調適歷程，其調適模式符合選擇、最佳化與補償模式，亦呼應活躍老化所強調之健康、參與及安全三大目標；五、在社會文化脈絡方面，華人社會敬老尊賢的文化價值及商業健身房強調會員享有平等權益，降低了高齡者於健身房中的年齡隔閡，惟性別刻板印象仍影響高齡者對不同運動項目的參與選擇。

綜而言之，高齡者持續參與健身房運動並非單一的健康行為，而是個人、環境與社會文化因素交互作用下所形成的動態調適歷程。高齡者透過多面向的調適策略降低參與阻礙，強化持續運動的激勵因素，並在持續參與運動的過程中累積正向運動經驗，逐步提升自我效能，進而增強持續運動的意願，形成持續參與健身房運動的正向循環。最後，本研究分別針對商業健身房產業、健身房高齡使用者及未來研究提出相關建議。

The purpose of this study was to explore the adjustment process of the elderly working out in the gym. Specifically, it examined their health beliefs about exercise participation, the motivational factors that support sustained exercise, barriers to participation, adjustment strategies, and the influence of sociocultural contexts on their exercise behaviors. A qualitative research design was adopted. Six older gym users and four gym staff members were recruited to participate in semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The interview data were analyzed using template analysis to examine the adjustment process of older adults in gym settings.

The findings were as follows. First, older adults were primarily motivated to begin exercising in gyms by their perceived threats of aging, disease, and health risks, while perceiving health promotion as the primary benefit of exercise participation. Health-related concerns prompted them to initiate exercise, whereas self-efficacy was gradually developed through continuous participation and successful exercise experiences. Second, sustained participation in gym-based exercise was facilitated by multiple factors, including health promotion, enhanced self-efficacy, social support networks, and the quality of gym services. These factors contributed not only to improved physical functioning and overall health, but also to increased social interaction, thereby supporting successful aging. Third, the barriers to sustained exercise identified in this study primarily included age-related physical limitations, family caregiving responsibilities, aggressive commercial sales practices, unfriendly service experiences, and concerns regarding hygiene conditions. These findings differ from previous studies, which have commonly emphasized transportation difficulties and financial costs as the primary barriers. Fourth, older adults gradually developed their adjustment strategies at the physiological, psychological, and environmental levels by adopting strategies such as exercising within their physical capabilities, practicing self-acceptance, and proactively adjusting their exercise schedules, class selections, and equipment use. This adjustment process is consistent with the Selective Optimisation with Compensation (SOC) Model and also reflects the goals of active ageing by promoting health, participation, and security. Fifth, within the sociocultural context, the traditional Chinese cultural value of respecting older adults, together with the emphasis on equal membership rights in commercial fitness centers, reduced age-related barriers experienced by older adults in gym settings. Nevertheless, gender stereotypes continued to influence their preferences for different types of exercise.

In conclusion, sustained participation in gym-based exercise among the elderly is not simply a health behavior but a dynamic adjustment process resulting from the interaction of individual, environmental, and sociocultural factors. By adopting multidimensional adjustment strategies, older adults overcome barriers to participation, strengthen the motivational factors that support sustained exercise, and accumulate positive exercise experiences. These experiences progressively enhance their self-efficacy, reinforce their intention to maintain regular exercise, and ultimately create a positive cycle of sustained participation in gym-based exercise. Finally, this study provides recommendations for the commercial fitness industry, older gym users, and future research.