Ta l k b a c k
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Operators should audit how inclusive their facilities are
Everyone’s talking about
Disability Research shows people with disabilities and long term conditions are much less active, yet there’s a desire among these populations to be more active. What are the barriers and how can operators remove them? Kath Hudson reports
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ccording to a 2014 report, adults with disabilities were much more likely to be limited in participating in leisure activities (27.9 per cent) compared to nondisabled (2.8 per cent). However, according to the Activity Alliance, 70 per cent want to be more active but face physical, logistical and psychological barriers.
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Issue 2 2022 ©Cybertrek 2022
According to NHS England figures, 43 per cent of the UK population has a long-term health condition, making them more likely to be inactive. As the fitness sector aspires to work more closely with the healthcare sector, to relieve the strain on the NHS and bring the benefits of physical activity to a wider audience, it’s important that operators audit how inclusive
their facilities are, both in terms of accessibility and culture. This is not a niche population: around 15 per cent of the global population lives with some form of disability. It’s a sobering thought that any of us could have a life-changing injury in the blink of an eye. This is an important issue, so where to start?
