Fit in later life: six panels on physical activity for older people
Two sequences of three panels on why older people need to move, which movements are safe, and how to start.
| Year | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Programme area | Older people |
| Formats | Social media |
| My role | Visual designer and layout. The substance follows the standing guidance on physical activity for older adults; I set the order and made the illustrations. |
The situation
Physical activity advice is usually written for younger adults: thirty minutes of exercise, strength training, step targets. To an older reader that sounds impossible, and their main worry is not a lack of will but a fear of falling or injury.
Who it was for
Older people and their families, some reading on a phone with the type enlarged, others seeing a printed copy pinned up at a Posyandu for older people.
Approach
I open with safety rather than benefits. The first panel carries five conditions to meet before starting, including checking with a doctor and warming up; only then come the benefits and the kinds of activity. The last panel lowers the threshold again with movements that can be done on the spot in five to ten minutes.
Craft and compliance
1:1 panels with larger type than any other sequence on the same channel and high contrast, because the reader reads with the type enlarged. Every activity is labelled with its duration in minutes, so a reader can choose by ability rather than by target.
Outcome
Six panels were published as two sequences through the institution's official channel and used at a Posyandu for older people.
Evidence The only evidence is the published material. No physical activity record or fitness check was kept for older residents, so a gain in fitness cannot be claimed.
Reflection
The first sequence initially opened with a list of benefits, and the older readers I tested it with stopped at the first panel because they were worried about injury. Opening with the five safety conditions got them to read the rest.