“More than a physical activity”: Older adults’ experiences and meaning-making in a physical education and sports course at a Third Age University

With the global aging of the population, healthy aging is evaluated not only by increased life expectancy but also by how later life is subjectively experienced and interpreted. While physical activity is recognized as a key component of active aging, older adults’ subjective experiences of physical activity programs embedded in Third Age Universities remain underexplored. This qualitative study examines the meanings attributed to physical activity, along with the emotional responses, sports skill acquisition, and lived experiences of older learners participating in a physical education course within a Rejuvenation University. Guided by phenomenological research design, semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 25 older students following a ten-week physical education program. Data were triangulated with 10-week field observation notes and analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step phenomenological analysis method. The findings show that participants framed physical activity not merely as a health-related behavior but as ‘a part of life,’ ‘a basic need,’ and ‘a source of revitalization.’ The course functioned as a transformative educational space that supported bodily awareness, pedagogical self-efficacy through sports skill mastery, daily routines, and social belonging. Concurrently, age-related bodily constraints and fears of injury were identified as key challenges negotiated through adaptive strategies and instructor guidance. These findings suggest that physical activity programs in Third Age Universities should be conceptualized not only as health-promoting interventions but as holistic educational practices addressing bodily literacy, psychosocial empowerment, and lifelong learning in later life.