Leisure-time during COVID-19 in the Western Cape, South Africa: experiences of people with disabilities

Abstract

ABSTRACT COVID-19 brought a significant shift in people’s daily routine, which became challenging for individuals to cope with. Leisure-time physical activities can significantly increase social effectiveness, a sense of control in the lives of people with disabilities, and social integration. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of leisure-time physical activity participation levels and programming needs for people with disabilities in the Western Cape, South Africa, amidst COVID-19. This study used a descriptive-qualitative approach to collect data from 12 participants who were recruited in the City of Cape Town municipality. Purposive sampling method was used to select eight participants, while the four participants were selected using the snowball sampling method. The results of the study reported two themes: LTPA during COVID-19 and LTPA challenges pre- and during COVID-19. Prominent findings from this study emphasize that LTPA is perceived positively and remained relevant during COVID-19. Although people’s movements were limited due to the lockdown regulations in South Africa, participants in this study did not lose sense of what LTPA is or the value it brings to their lives.