Venue: Sibelius Hall, Lahti, Finland

Welcome to the first International Conference on Masters and Mentors 2009 – Meanings and Methods in Older Adults’ Sporting Activities! The aim of the Conference is to bring together researchers, developers, professionals and other people who are interested in the interplay of ageing and exercise. The Conference is also suitable as further and advanced training for specialists, students and professionals and for anyone interested in the field. The main themes of the Conference are ageing and sports – motivation, meanings, and issues related to training. Other themes of the scientific symposia of the Conference include ageing and functional capacity, ageing and volunteer activities, support and services, and innovations and good practices in the promotion of exercise along with related socio-cultural meanings and philosophical questions. The keynote speakers of the Conference are: Professor Bradley Young from the University of Ottawa, who has conducted extensive studies on ageing athletes and their motivation for participating in sports; Professor Antti Karisto from the University of Helsinki, who talks about the socio-cultural and regional impact of sports and exercise on the ageing population and society as a whole; Dr Mirja Hirvensalo from the University of Jyväskylä, who discusses the impact of advice on physical exercise for ageing citizens; and Professor Jim Denison from the University of Alberta, who talks about the specific question of training in connection with ageing. The special focus of Masters and Mentors 2009 is on innovativeness. This focus is manifested through innovation sessions, which present and develop good practices and ideas for training, exercise in the nature and nature tourism, writing about sports, self-expression through exercise, and which aim to answer questions on the preferred and most functional methods of exercise for ageing people.

More information about the Conference: www.mastersmentors09.com
Download the programme here