The new look Australian Sports Commission, Sport Australia has launched a $22.9 million program to encourage sporting organisations and physical activity providers to redirect their focus towards older Australians so they become more active.
Chief Executive of Sport Australia, Kate Palmer said the Move It Aus – Better Ageing grants program was aimed at Australians aged 65 and over.
Ms Palmer said the number of Australians 65 and over was expected to more than double in the next 40 years, making the Move It Aus – Better Ageing program an important step towards encouraging more options and more products for older people.
“There’s a great chance for us as a sport industry to make a positive difference to the lives of older Australians through physical activity,” Ms Palmer said.
“Sport Australia looks forward to partnering with sports and physical activity providers to get older Australians moving more often.
“Our research tells us older Australians are motivated to be active, but their choice of sport and physical activities change with age.”
She said sports needed to be adaptable to those changes.
Ms Palmer said research showed the over 65s leaned more towards recreational activities than sport.
She said the most popular activities among older Australians were walking (60.9 per cent); fitness/gym (27.8 per cent); swimming (10.8 per cent); golf (9.8 per cent) cycling (7.3 per cent) and bowls (4.6 per cent).
“Among those Australians over 65 who don’t participate in sport and physical activity, more than half (50.7 per cent) cite poor health and injury as the biggest barrier,” Ms Palmer said.
She said it was undeniable that sport and physical activity were beneficial to physical and mental health so the sport industry needed to challenge itself to come up with innovative ways to help older Australians benefit from an active lifestyle.
“Sport Australia encourages sport and physical activity providers to consider partnerships that enhance the delivery of these projects,” she said.
Applications for Move It Aus – Better Ageing grants close on 31 October.
Guidelines can be accessed on the Sports Australia website at this PS News link.
