Older people in low-population density regions tend to have fewer resources to engage in regular physical activity (PA) compared to their counterparts in urban areas. Moreover, PA assumes different dimensions, and the amount of PA related to each dimension may differ between women and men, predisposing them to different PA practices. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aims to describe the prevalence of barriers to PA, gender differences, and their associations with different PA dimensions. A total of 259 older adults (153 women and 106 men; age, 75.17 ± 8.05 years old) living in the community in the region of Guarda (Portugal) were interviewed face to face to record their sociodemographic characteristics, general health status (comorbidity index and self-reported health), PA behaviour, and barriers to PA. Women were more likely to report “low” income and living alone (p ≤ 0.05), while men reported a higher negative health status than women (p < 0.05). Two intrinsic (“Fear of injury” (40.1%) and “Need for rest” (26.3%)) and two extrinsic barriers (“Lack of nearby facilities” (30.5%) and “I don’t have transport” (25.6%)) were the most prevalent. For women, age, self-reported health, comorbidity index, and intrinsic and extrinsic barriers were similarly associated with the different PA dimensions. However, only self-reported health and extrinsic barriers were the variables associated with the different PA dimensions in men. Therefore, strategies to promote active ageing in low-population density regions should be focused on reducing intrinsic and extrinsic barriers based on gender and the PA dimension to be achieved.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is influenced by several factors, such as living place, physical activity (PA), and functional fitness levels. Evidence shows that functional fitness and PA levels are strongly associated with positive HRQoL, especially in the older population. However, the impact of the living place has not been investigated as an influencing variable in this context. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between the HRQoL, PA, and functional fitness of older adults living in rural and urban areas of Portugal. A cross-sectional study was performed with community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and over (n = 261) living in the city of Guarda. The participants were assessed for sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical health, HRQoL, PA levels, and functional fitness status. The results showed that rural residents presented higher scores of HRQoL and functional fitness than older individuals living in urban areas. Regression models showed that functional fitness variables influence the HRQoL overall score and mental and physical subcomponents of HRQoL, regardless of the living place. In contrast, PA levels only influenced the HRQoL score in rural residents. The findings suggest that intervention programs to improve the physical health, quality of life, and well-being of the older population need to consider the country’s different geographical areas.

Objective: This article seeks to present a pilot project of community intervention that aims to prevent the occurrence of falls in the elderly in a community setting. Method: It is a prospective study in the temporal relationship, based on Health Planning, it was developed for 9 weeks in a Community Care Unit in the Northern Region of Portugal. Data collection and interventions were performed in the home of 6 of the 12 elderly being followed up at home by the nursing team. Elderly institutionalized and totally dependent were excluded. For the collection of data, an evaluation protocol was filled out using the Morse scale, validated for the Portuguese population, to assess the risk of falls. Results: Of the elderly who underwent nursing interventions, 50% presented a high risk of falls. Epidemiological indicators show that the incidence rate of falls was 0% and the prevalence rate of falls, in the last year was, 37.5%. Conclusion: The data collected was used for the production of epidemiological indicators, structure, process, and results. It is suggested to continue the project for one year, covering a larger sample and subsequent evaluation, and the creation of indicators for informal care providers.

The sexuality of the elderly in the nursing consultation context: a phenomenological analysis of luso-brazilians