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Table 2 Integrated Clinical and fitness facility focus group: themes, subthemes, and quotes

From: Using a qualitative approach for understanding hospital-affiliated integrated clinical and fitness facilities: characteristics and members’ experiences

Theme

Subtheme

Quote

Facility/Program

  
 

Physical Environment

 
  

“…working out on those machines you feel like you have room, you’re not on top of the other person working out so there's a lot of privacy and good space.’

 

Superiority

 
  

“[other gym], I have a free membership there. I won’t go; I would rather pay and come here because you get so much more”.

  

“[…] but I don’t feel comfortable in [other gym], you know you got trainers in there, but it’s just not a professional atmosphere like here”.

  

“Yeah, we compared the [other gym] to this and we have been, I have been going on and off to different places to exercise since I was about 30 I think and so I’ve been to different places […] I’ll tell you what made us decide not to go to [other gym] was the crowdedness, and they were a lot less money to go there, they were less money but then when we came over here we said ’Oh no, this is where we’re gonna go”.

 

Convenience

 
  

“…they have lots of exercise classes you can come to and because I’m so busy, if I miss a class I know I can easily get to another class or I can just hop on a treadmill”.

  

“We live within 2 miles of here, it’s very convenient”.

 

Programs

 
  

“Every time I’m here, [trainer] has customized a program that is targeted towards what I want to work on”.

  

“[T]hat’s one of the things that was attractive to me is the idea that there would be a variety”.

Social Atmosphere

  
 

Low Pressure for Cosmetics

 
  

“…you don’t feel like people are judging you for what you are doing”.

  

“…you don’t have to get dressed up to come here which is nice. I mean, it’s not like you know, there’s lots of spandex or anything, you know you feel ok just kind of shlumping in, you know in middle age”.

  

“I like that it’s an older crowd, it’s not all young beautiful people. There are normal people here”.

 

Making New Friends

 
  

“It’s a social thing besides fitness too. I retired, I was working in Florida and when I retired, I moved up here. I’ve met 40 or 50 people since I’ve been here, it’s amazing”.

  

“We know each other; we share each other’s sorrows, joys, and stuff”.

  

“Being alone, I have met a lot of nice people here that I have become friends with and so there’s a social aspect to all this and I find that very rewarding”.

 

Social Support

 
  

“I signed up here with a friend and my friend doesn’t come anymore, but I don’t need my friend to help come, I have the friends here that help.

  

“You’ve got all that community support picking you up and moving you”.

  

“We know each other, we share each other’s sorrows, joys, and stuff. Somebody needs help and we offer our suggestion, you know it’s not anything great but we consider ourselves a family”.

Provider

  
 

Knowledgeable

 
  

“I like the fact that they have professionals you can ask about your exercise program”.

  

“I think the medical model shows through like they will work with you around some issues. Like, I’ve been having some knee issues and I’m getting some injections for it so you know they’ve modified my exercises in order to be able to accommodate that but still get a decent work out”.

 

Friendly

 
  

“I like the staff and the friendliness of the, the overall feel of the place better than some other places I’ve gone to”.

  

“[…] but it is nice, you walk in and you’re always greeted by a warm, friendly smile, just everyone is very warm and friendly, to me, to my kids, to everyone. I think if it wasn’t like that, I wouldn’t come back”.

  

“The staff, you know, it’s like Cheers, everybody knows your name”.

 

Attentive

 
  

“I feel like everyone has an interest in me, I’m sure you guys feel like that too, but I feel they care about me as a person”.

  

“There’s people here when you come in and you can ask them questions. I mean the people are here to help you and they will stop and answer your questions and do everything to make you comfortable”.

  

“…she went above and beyond and she stayed with us and she walked us down to the emergency room and she made sure that we were settled and checked in before she left”.

Member

  
 

Sense of Accomplishment

 
  

“Yeah, and then a month later I did my first run in my entire life […]”

  

“I get up in the morning, have a coffee and look forward to getting dressed, coat and stuff and head out here. It just became a routine, they call the place Lifestyles. It is a change and people said you really go to the gym that often? Yes”.

  

“I joined in 2008 because my husband needed to join and he never came and I did (laughs). From 2008, when I had my first assessment, I hadn’t had an assessment for five years. When I had my second assessment five years later, from being almost 60 to being 65, my flexibility has improved and I say thank you LifeStyles”.

 

Motivation to Join

 
  

“I feel like the members here are here because they want to be healthy, not because they are trying to pick up someone, it’s everybody is here for a common good and overall health”.

  

“And I’m with (name removed), I want to keep my health, I’ve got arthritis, and I want to keep my health, and I don’t want to have to live with my daughter (laughs)”.

  

“I told my children I never wanted to live with them so this is my part-time job. I said I would make it my part-time job by coming here and staying healthy, that’s my goal in life…”