A buzz at care home
Older people in across the region have shown their Olympic spirit by taking part in a care home challenge event to highlight the importance of physical activity.
Hollywood actor Brian Cox and Deputy First Minister John Swinney are among those who sent their good wishes to residents from care homes and day centres across the region taking part in the ninth annual Go4Gold event in Perth and Kinross.
Around 400 residents from 30 care settings, including homes in Crieff and Auchterarder, have been trying their hand at various games and challenges throughout the past week.
The event has previously taken place at Bell’s Sports Centre in Perth but this year, due to the pandemic, each care setting has run its own in-house event, which also meant that a larger number of residents could participate and experience the fun and excitement of the Go4Gold activities.
The participants took part in a variety of physical challenges including putting, skittles and goal scoring.
Each care setting also enjoyed a video introduction to their events welcoming them and getting them into the spirit with a warm-up activity and an Olympic coverage-style studio chat.
In the weeks before the event, staff and residents from each care home also created posters reflecting this year’s Go4Gold theme of ‘Walking with Nature’.
An awards ceremony was held virtually on Tuesday this week, where all the participants were presented with certificates and medals.
The team from Ancaster House in Crieff were the overall winners with 599 points. They also won the prize for the best poster.
The triumph means the team will retain the trophy they won when the event was last held in 2019.
Ancaster House administrator, Fiona Kingsley-Chase, told the Herald: “All of our residents have enjoyed the various activities and walking challenges. Betty McIndoe was also our walking champion for the month of August.
“Our team, The Bees Knees, worked so well together and had such kind and motivational words when participating in the events. Team member Betty said today when we found out we won ‘it’s a team effort’.
“At Ancaster House we are so proud of our residents and our staff – we really are one big team.
“Our activities coordinator Helen Maclellan deserves a special mention for her hard work and Go4Gold enthusiasm.”
Go4Gold was organised by the Perth and Kinross Care Home Activity Network, in partnership with Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), Scottish Care, Live Active Leisure, Paths for All, the third sector and local care homes.
Carolyn Wilson, of Perth and Kinross HSCP, said: “The usual annual care home games challenge held at Bells Sports Centre was impossible but we wanted to recreate it, particularly with the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics running this summer.
“It’s fantastic to see so many homes participating and the residents really entering into the competitive spirit with enthusiasm and excitement.
“Go4Gold demonstrates that everyone can exercise in some way.
“It goes to prove that even the frailest can come together, participate in physical activity and have fun.”