Individual attitude towards physical activity
All participants believed that it was important to remain active in retirement. Mary and Kate described the consensus of the group:
Well I think you have to do something, don’t you, when you work sort of five days a week and you’re active and you’re doing all that, and then nothing, you’ve got to do something. (Mary)
I must, when I retired I did sort of say to myself that I would not watch television during the day because I think if you start that that’s something that you just sit and watch television and I sort of made a conscious effort that I would not do that. (Kate)
The majority of participants perceived themselves to be sufficiently active with daily chores such as gardening, housework and minding grandchildren, as expressed by Arnold:
Although I’ve been finished about two years and I got plenty to do, I got like this, in this house, like decorating, gardening, (sighs) looking after a car, like, you know, anything, you know, but I’ll keep myself busy. (Arnold)
While most participants walked (more or less frequently) for recreational purposes, other more vigorous activities were less frequently reported. For those who regularly exercised, participation had become a well-established and life-long habit and source of pleasure which they had always attempted (at times more or less successful) to integrate in their lifestyles. Gwen reflected:
I think almost since we were married and our children were young, I’ve nearly always been to a keep-fit class of some form or another, different ones over the years. Swimming, I always enjoyed when I was younger. I think I then went for a spell without doing any swimming and, you know, I’d worked part-time and I found I had… you know, my boys were sort of growing up and I had a bit more time. I just enrolled with this leisure club, and that was many years ago now, and, you know, I’ve been ever since. (Gwen)
Differing attitudes towards physical activity among couples
Perceptions of active lifestyles covered a range of activities, from ‘not watching television during the day’ to structured exercise. While spouses agreed on the importance of an active lifestyle in retirement, opinions regarding regular exercise diverged and were often in opposition, with one partner being less interested or uninterested in regular exercise. On the other hand, one couple described how her (Norma’s) positive attitude towards regular exercise encouraged him (Arnold) to start thinking more about his own (unhealthy) lifestyle after retirement and to introduce small changes (e.g. walking rather than using the car):
You used to hop in the car quite… like that was like a thing with you, you’d get the car out and go when you worked away, weekends, that would be more, but now you would walk round Peter’s or walk round Martin’s. I mean you never used to do that, did you? (Norma)
Well, yeah, and she’s one for… always one for healthy living……and healthy foods. (Arnold)
Several less-active participants viewed regular exercise purely as an ‘interest’ or ‘hobby’ of their spouse which they had never shared. Arnold stated how his wife had always enjoyed active leisure time pursuits whereas he enjoyed different sedentary activities:
So we do things together, if we’ve got something we do different, like her with her line dancing or swimming, for me with my football [watching on television] or whatever […] (Arnold)
A few men were also convinced that they did not need to do regular exercise as they were ‘fit enough to do exercises’ (Arnold) and had not ‘notice any particular slacking of pace really, so it’s still there I think’ (Peter). Their spouses agreed that their husbands might have ‘far more stamina’ or were ‘for your age, you’re quite agile’ (Pamela). Nevertheless, one wife (Mary) also reminded her husband that his perceptions of his own fitness levels might be outdated and based on a younger version of himself.
One man (Peter), while believing that it was important to remain active in old age, also expressed doubts about the health benefits of exercise:
Yeah, you don’t know. I’ve often wondered whether you’d be better for doing more exercise, but then I see people who do and they’ve got bad legs, hips and all sorts. I don’t know, it’s difficult to know what’s best for you, and we tend to do what we’re just comfortable with, don’t we basically? (Peter)
While his wife reiterated his concerns, her own favourable attitude towards exercise and her regular exercise routine remained unchanged.
The more active male participants often associated physical activity with competitiveness or a challenge. Engaging in any physical activity or exercise without achieving a goal (e.g. testing their personal fitness level, or beating others in a competition) was perceived as ‘wasting your time’ (Terry) and ‘wouldn’t do anything for me’. (Stan)
Their wives did not share this competitive attitude and participated in physical activity only for recreational purposes, as noted by Louise:
I mean I’m not, I’ve no competitive spirit whatsoever, I’m not a competitor in any sense, and I like to be outside if I’m exercising to be honest, I’m much happier in the fresh air so you know […] (Louise)
These women recalled how their husbands’ competitive behaviours had made past attempts at joint physical activities (e.g. recreational walks) a frustrating and, for one couple, a never-to-be-repeated experience.