SENIORS RECREATION COUNCIL OF WA BE ACTIVE AGED CARE GAMES
The Be Active Aged Care Games are set up to provide an opportunity for people in 'care' situations to experience team participation and light competition, as well as social interaction, through adapted games in a community recreation facility.
A program of this kind was operated some 8- 9 years
ago by the care agencies but unfortunately it faded after a couple of
years.
In 2003, Seniors Recreation Council of WA
established a new format and reintroduced the program as part of the
Fremantle Masters Games and included the games seated hockey, seated
pass ball, bean bag toss & skittles.
Agencies participating in the games find that
during the months leading up to the event they work with the clients to
practice each of the events and a great deal of time is spent preparing
equipment such as hockey sticks (rolled up newspapers) bean bags,
targets etc. They also
dedicate time and effort to develop uniforms, flags, signs etc. to be
seen as the ‘Best Presented Team’
With a perpetual trophy (Cup) and small replica
plus Gold medals awarded to the winners and Silver and Bronze medals
awarded to the runners up & third place all other participants receive a
participation medal.
The City of Fremantle in 2007 offered a perpetual
trophy for the Champion of Champions team, (the team that has the most
points in a round of competition) this was presented for the first time
at the Fremantle Masters Aged Care Games 2007 and the winning team was
Barridale Lodge, in 2008 the winner was Jacaranda Lodge and in 2009 the
winner was again Jacaranda Lodge.
These games are very well received by the clients
living in care.
The Council has developed strong working alliances
to present the games including Department of Sport and Recreation of WA,
Healthway, Heart Foundation, Department for Communities, various Local
Governments and numerous care agencies.
This is an exciting program and it has been very
well received, these events have been conducted over the last seven
years:
Since the games commenced in 2003 SRC has hosted 33
competitions with a total of 6917 people attending the games to the end
of 2009.
Once again SRC and all participants in the games wish to express their appreciation to the sponsors of the Be Active Aged Care Games – Healthway, Heart Foundation, Department of Sport & Recreation & Department for Communities, Local Governments & support agencies.
