Leveraging regional Senior Games for older adults’ participation in sport and leisure-time physical activity: The event organizers’ perspective

Preparing for and participating in regional Senior Games can motivate older adults to engage in year-round physical activity as well as community-based sport and leisure programs. This research aims to examine how regional Senior Games are being leveraged to foster participation in sport and/or leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among older adults. Fifteen interviews were conducted with key personnel involved in organizing 15 regional Senior Games in the United States. Our findings revealed four strategies Senior Games organizers used to promote older adults’ participation in sport and/or LTPA, including fostering inclusive engagement, capturing inspirational impacts, capitalizing on social influence, and combining the event with regularly scheduled community programs. Additionally, three challenges were identified that may influence leveraging initiatives’ effectiveness, namely resource constraints, extending the Games’ outreach, and combatting sport participation constraints. Our findings provide implications for how to harness Senior Games to reap sustainable sport and leisure benefits for older adults.