Modeling the Underlying Factors of Motivating the Elderly to Physical Activity in the Post-Corona Period1

The present study was designed and conducted with the aim of presenting a groundwork model for the return of the elderly to physical activity in the post-corona period. In terms of applied purpose, the present study was a descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method, which was mixed based on the research approach. The statistical population of the qualitative part of this study consisted of elites and experts in the field of sports management and knowledge of the research and managers of selected sports organizations (17 people and continued until theoretical saturation) and in a small part the statistical population includes all the elderly in the three southern provinces (Bushehr, Fars, Kohkiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad) who were active in municipal parks and sports clubs (384 people). The tools of the present study included semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire. To examine the data of the qualitative part, open and axial coding was used and in the quantitative part, the structural equation modeling method was used. The whole process of data analysis was performed in SPSS software version 24 and Smart PLS version 2. The results of the present study showed that the components of the model for laying the groundwork for the return of the elderly to physical activity in the post-corona period include media, management, facilities, sports coaches and sports programs, respectively. Also, the results of the present study showed that the research model has a good fit.