The benefits of play in the later years of life
Owen Henderson, 87, has his game face on. As bowls coordinator at Linda Jones Retirement Village, he saw his team win last year’s intervillage bowls tournament, but he said it’s too early to predict if they will win again this year.
But it’s not all about winning, he said. It’s about keeping healthy and making friends in the mature years of his life.
“It’s good exercise for us, and we enjoy going to other villages and playing them in a friendly game. And that’s what life’s all about at this age,” Henderson said.
The bowls tournament is a part of the annual Hamilton Intervillage Games, where nine retirement villages compete against each other across 13 games.
Henderson began playing bowls about 20 years ago when he was diagnosed with cancer.
“I had to do something else other than playing golf. So a chap that I used to play tennis with asked me if I’d like to come and have a go at bowls. And I enjoyed it,” he said.
“This game was easier for me on the body. I enjoy the camaraderie as well, and we have a lot of fun.
“It’s a game you can play quite young and play right through life. You can’t do that so much with rugby.”
The bowls team was much smaller when Henderson came to Linda Jones about four years ago.
“When we first came there were only about three or four of us that played bowls, and now we get about 20-25 players each week.”
The team enjoys playing other villages, said Henderson. They have even played other teams virtually. Just before the pandemic, they played a team in Christchurch using virtual reality goggles.
“It’s amazing what they can do,” Henderson said.
The intervillage games will run for four days, and the awards ceremony will take place on Thursday. This is the highlight of the week, said Forest Lake Gardens’ social coordinator and event organiser Pippa Bennett.
“The Games were created last year by myself, to create a fun but competitive few days for our older generation,” said Bennett.
“On the awards night, we have a lovely sit down meal, and the winners are called out to collect their trophies. Via a points system, we award the overall village with a hand-crafted trophy made by a resident.”
“I try to make it feel like the Oscars! With music playing as they walk to collect the trophy.”