Senior women, wellbeing, engagement and non-competitive sports: A case study of the Leisure Marching Nationals

Abstract

In Aotearoa New Zealand, 80 percent of adults (aged 15+) have had experience of mental distress, and data shows this is often linked to feelings of isolation and disconnection. While adolescents (aged 15-19) and older adults (aged 60+) are worst affected, females are more likely to experience a common mental disorder than males, regardless of age. Aotearoa New Zealand’s Mental Health Foundation works towards creating a society where all people enjoy positive mental health and wellbeing. They partnered with the Health Promotion Agency to launch the Five Ways to Wellbeing toolkit in 2018, consisting of five actions adapted from those first created by the UK’s New Economic Foundation. These actions are designed to improve physical, psychological and sociological wellbeing: Give; Be Active; Keep Learning; Take Notice; and Connect. We applied the toolkit to a case study analysis of the 2019 New Zealand Leisure Marching Nationals, an annual non-competitive sports event, and offer a rare insight into the clear contribution that even a single annual event can make to the achievement of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. We find that such events may act as a vehicle for active ageing through their contribution to health and wellbeing for senior women.