Improving Sports and Recreation Services in Mashhad for Elderly and Intergenerational Interaction (ESPIRE-M)

Summary

This interventional study aims to design strategies to improve service quality and productivity in recreational sports facilities in Mashhad Municipality, focusing on creating an age-friendly city. The research consists of two parts: fieldwork and an experimental section.

Field Section:

1. Assess seniors' perceptions of services using the SERVQUAL questionnaire and other tools.
2. Conduct a SWOT analysis to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to elderly sports participation.

Experimental Section:

Evaluate the impact of intergenerational sports activities on elderly participants (aged 60+). Participants were paired with younger individuals and randomly allocated to five groups, including a control group.

Group Tasks:

* Control Group: 78 seniors continued daily routines without structured activities.
* Experimental Groups:

1. Non-sport intergenerational interaction sessions (90 minutes, 3x/week).
2. Intergenerational yoga sessions (90 minutes, 3x/week).
3. Light aerobic exercises + group discussions (90 minutes, 3x/week).
4. Non-exercise intergenerational sessions in a park (90 minutes, 3x/week).
5. Non-exercise intergenerational sessions in a nursing home (90 minutes, 3x/week).

Field Study Sample:
* 384 customers of Mashhad Municipality sports facilities (192 women, 192 men).

Key Notes:

* Elderly participants were selected through cluster sampling; younger participants were purposively sampled from Mashhad's Islamic Azad University.
* Gender balance (50% women, 50% men) was maintained in all groups.

Main Questions:

1. How do service quality factors influence customers of Mashhad Municipality sports facilities?
2. Do intergenerational programs improve quality of life, health, and well-being for seniors?
3. What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for elderly sports participation?
4. What strategies can enhance elderly participation in sports?

Conditions

• Aged
• Quality of Life
• Mental Health

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Intergenerational Activity Program: This indicates a program that involves activities designed for interaction between older adults and younger participants

Engage in 90-minute intergenerational interaction sessions, three times a week for three months, in a controlled indoor environment. * Spend the first 45 minutes actively interacting with a younger participant in pairs, collaborating on activities of interest to the senior. * Participate in group activities such as book reading, puzzles, joke-telling, and sharing experiences for the remaining 45 minutes. * Attend 36 sessions held on odd days in the main hall of the Neshat Center. * Gender Representation: * 60 participants (30 women and 30 men) aged 60 and above, selected through stratified random sampling from Mashhad's elderly population. * 60 younger participants (30 women and 30 men) with an average age of 21.45 ± 0.35 years, selected through purposive sampling from Mashhad's Islamic Azad University.

BEHAVIORAL

Yoga and Mindfulness Sessions

Participate in 90-minute intergenerational yoga sessions, three times a week for three months, in a gym setting. * Perform modified yoga exercises suitable for seniors, including: * 20 minutes of warm-up with stretching and joint rotations. * 50 minutes of main exercises (asanas and pranayama). * 20 minutes of relaxation and meditation (Shavasana). * Attend sessions on odd days at 9 AM in the Neshat Center yoga hall. * Gender Representation: * 60 participants (30 women and 30 men) aged 60 and above, selected through stratified random sampling from Mashhad's elderly population. * 60 younger participants (30 women and 30 men) with an average age of 21.45 ± 0.35 years, selected through purposive sampling from Mashhad's Islamic Azad University.

BEHAVIORAL

Physical Exercise and Storytelling

Engage in 60-minute light aerobic exercises, three times a week for three months, in a park setting. * Follow warm-up and aerobic exercises led by a senior fitness instructor. * Spend 30 minutes in a friendly group discussion, sharing experiences and memories with younger participants. * Attend sessions on even days at 9 AM in Mashhad's Mellat Park. * Gender Representation: * 60 participants (30 women and 30 men) aged 60 and above, selected through stratified random sampling from Mashhad's elderly population. * 60 younger participants (30 women and 30 men) with an average age of 21.45 ± 0.35 years, selected through purposive sampling from Mashhad's Islamic Azad University.

BEHAVIORAL

Outdoor Interaction Games

Participate in 90-minute intergenerational interaction sessions, three times a week for three months, in a park setting. * Engage in non-exercise activities such as group discussions, storytelling, and sharing experiences with younger participants. * Attend sessions on even days at 9 AM in Mashhad's Mellat Park. * Gender Representation: * 60 participants (30 women and 30 men) aged 60 and above, selected through stratified random sampling from Mashhad's elderly population. * 60 younger participants (30 women and 30 men) with an average age of 21.45 ± 0.35 years, selected through purposive sampling from Mashhad's Islamic Azad University.

BEHAVIORAL

Social Visits to Nursing Homes

Engage in 90-minute intergenerational interaction sessions, three times a week for three months, in a nursing home setting. * Participate in non-exercise activities such as group discussions, storytelling, and sharing experiences with younger participants. * Attend sessions on odd days at 9 AM in the nursing home. * Gender Representation: * 60 participants (30 women and 30 men) aged 60 and above, selected through stratified random sampling from Mashhad's elderly population. * 60 younger participants (30 women and 30 men) with an average age of 21.45 ± 0.35 years, selected through purposive sampling from Mashhad's Islamic Azad University.

OTHER

control group

Continue with their daily routines without participating in any intergenerational interaction or structured activities. * No specific interventions or programs are provided. * Gender Representation: * 78 participants (39 women and 39 men) aged 60 and above, selected through stratified random sampling from Mashhad's elderly population.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Zinat Ebrahimi

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Dr. Zinat Ebrahimi, Professor · Physical Education and Sport, Islamic Azad Sanandaj, Iran.

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2018-09-05

Primary Completion

2018-10-15

Completion

2019-02-12

Countries

• Iran

Study Locations