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Physical Activity among Older Adults with Visual Impairment: Considerations for Ageing Well with Sight Loss

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Physical Activity and Sport in Later Life

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Abstract

Almost 2 million people in the UK are living with sight loss that has a significant impact on their daily lives, and every day approximately 100 more people begin to lose their sight (Fight for Sight, 2013). This phenomenon is increasingly linked to age, with 1 in 9 people aged 60+ in the UK currently living with sight loss. Research shows that visually impaired older adults, in general, have poorer general health than the sighted population (Jones et al., 2009). Visual impairment is also a significant risk factor for additional medical conditions as a result of activity limitations and participation restrictions (Crews and Campbell, 2001).

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© 2015 Meridith Griffin

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Griffin, M. (2015). Physical Activity among Older Adults with Visual Impairment: Considerations for Ageing Well with Sight Loss. In: Tulle, E., Phoenix, C. (eds) Physical Activity and Sport in Later Life. Global Culture and Sport Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-137-42932-2_15

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