BOONE, N.C. — The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and Appalachian State University will collaborate to collect online survey data on the sports and activity participation behaviors and interests of adults over the age of 50.

According to Dr. Stephanie West, professor in Appalachian’s Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education, this data will lead to evidence-based recommendations for how parks and recreation departments can best facilitate older adult participation in sports and physical activities.

West, who received $25,000 in funding from NRPA, will partner with Jill Naar, instructor in the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education, for the project. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services is the administrator of the NRPA grant.

West said the results of the online NRPA survey will help identify the current sports behaviors and interests of 1,200 older adults, along with practices and policies of parks and recreation departments that might best encourage older adult participation in sports activities.

Additionally, West said the survey results will allow her and Naar to identify factors that motivate and/or restrain older adult participation in sports, which parks and recreation departments can then address and use to improve the practice of sports by older adults.

The survey will also help identify the negotiations older adults typically practice in order to be active, West said, such as looking for a community recreation center they can use, going to a park or walking on neighborhood sidewalks, especially if these adults do not have the funds to join a private health club.

“While parks and recreation practitioners might help older adults negotiate things like self-esteem or transportation, or even the self-esteem needed to use public transportation, some strategies for helping others negotiate constraints might not be cost-effective or practical for implementation on a larger scale,” West said.

She explained the results of this survey will, therefore, help inform parks and recreation best practices.

The grant project many involve assistance from Appalachian students.

National Recreation and Park Association

Because everyone deserves a great park

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of public parks, recreation and environmental conservation. NRPA’s park members and recreation professionals and advocates are 60,000 strong and represent public spaces in urban communities, rural settings and everything in between. Funded through dues, grants, registrations and charitable contributions, NRPA produces research, education and policy initiatives for its members that ultimately enrich the communities they serve.

Learn more

About the Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education

The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences is an innovative, diverse and forward-thinking academic unit consisting of two undergraduate programs. The recreation management program prepares students for careers as professionals in three concentrations: commercial recreation and tourism management, outdoor experiential education, and recreation and park management. The health and physical education program prepares students for careers as K-12 health and physical educators, school-based activity directors and coaches. Learn more at https://rmpe.appstate.edu.

About the Beaver College of Health Sciences

Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences (BCHS), opened in 2010, is transforming the health and quality of life for the communities it serves through interprofessional collaboration and innovation in teaching, scholarship, service and clinical outreach. The college enrolls more than 3,600 students and offers 10 undergraduate degree programs, nine graduate degree programs and four certificates across six departments: Nursing, Nutrition and Health Care Management, Public Health and Exercise Science, Recreation Management and Physical Education, Rehabilitation Sciences, and Social Work. The college’s academic programs are located in the Holmes Convocation Center on App State’s main campus and the Levine Hall of Health Sciences, a state-of-the-art, 203,000-square-foot facility that is the cornerstone of Boone’s Wellness District. In addition, the college supports the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness and has collaborative partnerships with the Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Program, UNC Health Appalachian and numerous other health agencies. Learn more at https://healthsciences.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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