[Sports programs for the elderly in Germany in 1991]

The percentage of older people in the population will permanently increase. An attendant phenomenon is a rising demand for special exercise programs. In 1991, a survey of those programs was done in the unified FRG. The investigation was ordered by the Sportministerkonferenz der Länder to substantiate further promotion. Organizers and sponsors of exercise programs for older people originate from public and private non-profit institutions in the fields of sports (administration), social welfare, public health, and educational work. Concerning the structure and the extent of special exercise programs there exist large regional differences between the eastern vs. western part of the FRG and rural vs. urban areas. People of over 50 years of age have to be separated into different groups corresponding to their age, physical condition, experience, and needs; not all of them find appropriate programs. The Deutsche Turner-Bund, private charitable institutions, and a few private health-care organizations preferentially serve untrained and/or inexperienced women over 60-65 years of age with recreationally oriented exercise programs. The younger, more athletic find more competitively oriented programs within the scope of other sports federations. Recreational sports programs in age-independent groups are often attended by older physically fit people.