Complete with their own opening ceremonies, Renaissance Care residents from around the country will be taking part in the fortnight long event which was created by staff to encourage mobility, fitness and wellbeing as part of the care group’s ongoing focus on increasing the quality of life within the homes.
The Renaissance Care Winter Olympics comes as the snowball effect of a successful summer Olympics held in the homes in July. The event will see 16 Scottish care homes take on a range of sporting games designed to suit the abilities of residents building fitness, confidence and team spirit.
Contenders will be going head-to-head or working with a team in a number of sports including stationary skiing, designed to improve arm strength and stamina, seated ice-hockey, to develop aim and team-work, and indoor curling, to increase hand-eye co-ordination and independence.
‘Snow’-body has been left out of the fun across the group, with those who prefer to spectate working with staff over the past couple of weeks to make sure the event goes off without a hitch. Crafty residents and staff have been busy creating signage for the occasion, placards with messages of support for the sports-people, and have even turned areas in the home to apres-ski chalets where spectators and athletes alike can enjoy a hot chocolate.
Skip of the competing GB Curling team and three-time Olympic champion, Eve Muirhead, caught wind of the event and has shown her support with a video message filmed for Renaissance Care residents. She said “I hear you’re all giving curling a go, how good is that, I hope you enjoy it. I’ll be competing at the Olympics in Beijing, but I hope you all have lots of fun.”
Yvonne Mackenzie, Operations Director at Renaissance Care, said: “The Winter Olympics is the first of many events we have scheduled for our residents throughout the year to encourage physical activity and mental wellbeing, and if the creativity and effort of this campaign is anything to go by, this year will be a fun-filled one for all.”