Retirement News : Seniors : Retirement Village residents active

Retirement Village residents active

Date Added: 03-08-2005

Gone are the days when elderly people living in retirement villages and nursing homes spend the day staring at the wall.

Residents at the Ararat Retirement Village are kept active socially, physically and mentally.

Ararat Retirement Village activities co-ordinator, Sue Antonio said the residents have access to activities seven days a week.

"It gives them something to look forward to," she said.

"Activities are not just something to entertain, they are designed to engage their cognitive ability and physical side.

"We aim at stimulating their minds and bodies."

The activities program, titled the Leisure and Lifestyle Program incorporates a range of activities.

This includes bingo, craft, quizzes and games, exercises, music and happy hour.

The village holds its happy hour every Thursday afternoon.

"We have musicians play, a bit of dancing - a couple of the residents like to dance. They can have a drink whether it be a beer or a sherry or a soft drink and something to eat."

Ms Antonio said that the village aimed to keep its residents as active as possible.

"We see people moving in here as beginning a new chapter in their lives."

Ms Antonio said it was difficult for residents to give-up their independence when they move into a retirement village and by keeping them active and learning new things it helped with the transition.

"Our physiology is you are never to old to learn," she said.

"Many of the residents learn things that they would not have been able to do before."

A member of the retirement village's staff is a trained teacher and has brought new facets to the program.

"Residents made butterflies and painted those up, they also worked with clay, making masks and we had those fired."

Bingo is a favoured activity for around 20 of the 60 residents at the village.

It is held twice a week, family and friends of residents also often attend.

The residents play for prizes, like biscuits and soaps rather than money.

Bingo would not be possible without the efforts of Pearl Hildebrandt who calls the numbers, Pearl has been volunteering for five years.

Ms Antonio says it does not matter what the activity is, all that matters is that the residents enjoy it.

"As long as they have a laugh and enjoy it, if you can't have a laugh when you are in your 80s or 90s when can you?" she said.

"You may not be able to get around and you may forget things as you get older, but you never forget how to laugh."

For More Information:

http://www.ararat.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=local&category=general%20news&story_id=412861&y=2005&m=8