Some sports venues set custom age limits for seniors
I originally wanted to exercise after retiring, but my age "passed the age limit"
Experts suggest: Fitness venues should actively respond to social changes and proactively carry out aging-friendly transformation of equipment and services.
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"Worker Daily" reporters visited many sports venues and found that some venues have set age restrictions for the elderly, including some gyms, swimming pools and ski resorts.
The limit is generally set at 60 to 70 years old, and some even drop it to 55 or 50 years old.
Recently, ice and snow sports have heated up, but 71-year-old Liu Guozhang is a little troubled.
My granddaughter, who is in junior high school, wants to go to a ski resort in the suburbs of Beijing to experience skiing on the weekends. Since she can ski, she wants to accompany her.
Liu Guozhang was in good health, but he was "dissuaded" from the ski resort. The staff of the ski resort where he was going to make the reservation clearly informed that people over 55 years old were not allowed to participate.
Recently, "Worker Daily" reporters visited a number of sports venues and found that some venues have set age restrictions for the elderly, including some gyms, swimming pools and ski resorts.
“I can’t get into the swimming pool at my doorstep.”
Wu Shunlian, an elderly person who lives in Haidian District, Beijing, told reporters: "I am a senior in high school, and I want to keep fit after retirement, but several gyms near me tell people over the age of 65 that they are not allowed to enter. It is also quite depressing. Now I can only Run in the streets and parks." Wu Shunlian also said that some private gyms and swimming pools now require the elderly to sign a complete health disclaimer. "It's very troublesome and they don't want to go."
“You can’t get into the swimming pool at your doorstep,” said Qian Shaogang, a Shanghai citizen who likes swimming. “Now the conditions are getting better and better. Gyms and swimming pools are opening at your doorstep, and you can swim all year round. But many venues are There's an age limit and we retire and get into trouble."
Reporters recently saw a notice on an online group purchase notice for a swimming pool in Haidian District, Beijing, stating that "purchase is limited to people aged 16 to 60 years old." This means that seniors over 60 years old will be turned away.
After calling several gyms, I also learned that most of the equipment in the gyms has heavy weights, and generally they do not accept elderly customers over 65 years old.
The reporter learned that at present, age restrictions have become a common phenomenon in the fitness industry. The restrictions are generally set at 60 to 70 years old. Some fitness venues have even lowered this "red line" to 55 or 50 years old.
In particular, some challenging and trendy sports, such as roller skating and ice skating, are generally "rejected" to the elderly.
"I think these requirements are unreasonable and inconsistent with the concept of national fitness advocated by today's society. It also deprives us elderly people of many opportunities to experience the joy of sports." Liu Guozhang told reporters.
The elderly fitness market is expanding
According to the seventh national census data released in 2021, my country's population over 60 years old accounts for 18.7%, and the aging trend will further deepen in the future.
Against this background, the fitness market for the elderly group continues to expand.
So why do more and more fitness venues restrict the elderly?
The reporter learned that in the face of the objective fact that elderly people are more likely to have accidents when engaging in fitness and sports activities, fitness venues, as for-profit entities, are bound to take the initiative to avoid business risks.
If an accident occurs to an elderly person at a venue, it is unknown whether the venue has the ability to prove that it is not at fault and whether it can be exempted from compensation.
"Safety considerations are of course the top priority. The elderly may have health problems or degenerated body functions, which will increase the risks of exercise. If an accident occurs during exercise, we may face legal liability, and family members will often 'provoke the blame'. Skating There are indeed risks in sports, and collisions or falls are possible." A staff member of the skating rink in a shopping mall in Beijing expressed his concerns to reporters.
Secondly, the venue lacks facilities or services specifically for the elderly, which is also an important reason for the restriction of entry for the elderly.
In this regard, a gym operator on Building Materials City West Road in Beijing told reporters that most fitness equipment is now designed for young and middle-aged people, and there are very few specifically for the elderly. “Due to the increase in labor costs, one job Officers can keep an eye on dozens of young people, but older people definitely need more staff to keep an eye on them to ensure that there are as few accidents as possible."
In addition, the lack of insurance products is also one of the reasons.
It is reported that currently, the underwriting age of some sports accident insurance on the market is often limited to those under 65 years old.
"The exercise and travel risks of the elderly cannot be reasonably shared by society, so we have to set an 'age threshold' as a last resort." said a staff member of a gym in Dongcheng District, Beijing.
In response to the increasing number of complaints, a recent reply from Beijing’s sports authorities stated that at present, the city has no relevant policies stipulating that people aged 60 and above are not allowed to enter sports venues. Age restrictions are an act of independent operation by venues and the competent authorities have no authority. put one's oar in.
Xiong Chao, a lawyer at Beijing Jingshi Law Firm, also told reporters that fitness venues restricting the age of admissions and refusing to accept guests of a certain age do not violate the law. "Some sports do have certain risks for the elderly, so businesses For safety reasons, age restrictions are not prohibited by law.”
“Silver fitness” needs to be developed
Although the law does not prohibit fitness venues from restricting the elderly, more and more elderly people now have time and interest in coming to the gym to exercise. What are the solutions?
According to Professor Yao Sheng of China University of Political Science and Law, today’s “silver economy” market is vast. If fitness institutions can adapt to the market and actively introduce some fitness equipment suitable for the elderly or explore fitness activities suitable for the elderly, they may also usher in new trends. Development opportunities, "Fitness venues should actively respond to social changes, proactively carry out aging-friendly transformation of equipment and services, and capture this market."
Xiong Chao believes that when business premises accept elderly people, in order to protect their rights and interests, they can be required to purchase insurance and sign notification letters. "It is best not to adopt a 'one size fits all' approach. You can admit them by showing physical examination status, health guarantee certificates, and being accompanied by family members, etc." At the same time, consumers are reminded to control their physical conditions and realize that some sports are risky."
The reporter learned that some fitness venues have already made attempts.
For example, some swimming pools in Beijing are refining their protection plans for the elderly.
In addition to anti-slip work on the floor and clearing aisles, special swimming lanes for the elderly have also been opened. There are monitoring screens in the family waiting area facing each swimming lane to facilitate family members to observe the activities of the elderly at any time.
Shanghai’s “Healthy Sports Home for the Elderly” has all fitness equipment developed for aging according to the physical characteristics of the elderly, and provides “one-stop” sports and wellness services such as chronic disease exercise intervention, sports rehabilitation training and leisure social interaction. .
According to the "National Fitness Venue and Facilities Improvement Action Plan (2023-2025)" issued by the State Sports General Administration and other five departments in 2023, it is necessary to promote the open venues and facilities of public sports facility management units to be opened to the public and provide preferential treatment for special groups such as the elderly. Convenient services.
"We hope that relevant departments will further improve supporting laws and regulations, dispel the concerns of fitness venue operators, and allow these venues to actively explore diversified service measures so that more elderly people can be admitted to fitness venues," Xiong Chao said.
Liu Bing