Golden Age Games bring smiles to residents' faces

Residents from Hunter Acres nursing facility rolled in on a canoe made of cardboard, disguising the wheelchairs inside that were powering it. They were part of the Hawaiian themed parade at the Osage Community Center that set the stage for The Golden Age Games held for area nursing facilites. The event, sponsored by Missouri Healthcare Association District V, also included a dance contest, hog calling and arts and crafts. More than 10 area nursing homes and 200 residents participated in the event Thursday.

Equipped with clipboards and check off sheets, eight judges huddled in a circle after the parade passed.

"I'm impressed by their spirit," said Michelle Walters, MHCA education support assistant.

Carrying makeshift surfboards, inflatable monkeys strapped to their arms and grass huts fashioned from umbrellas and grass skirts atop wheelchair handles, residents made their way to the starting lines.

With a pink parrot and palm trees dangling from the back of his wheelchair, John Niedbalski of Life Care Center stood in line for the parrot shoot.

"It feels good to get out and do something for a change," he said. Niedbalski had been working on increasing his repetitions at weight lifting in preparation for the games.

"These games promote goodwill when they see a lot of people here like them," said physical therapy assistant Kimberly Davidson.

Another Life Care Center resident, Lawrence Gann, was proud of himself and demonstrated his accomplishment at raising his body up from the wheelchair with just the strength of his arms.

"I can't walk, but I've got good arms," he said. Also known as Life Care's bingo champion, Gann was looking forward to winning bingo. "I wish they had this every day," he said.

Participation was a challenge for some residents, but fun nonetheless. Struggling to knock the pineapple pins to the ground with a plastic bowling ball while steadying himself long enough to stand without a walker, Rudy Rottler of Ste. Genevieve Care Center smiled big. His wife, Hazel, still independent, was there participating in the games alongside her husband.

Tie-dyed shirts and matching headbands identified residents from The Manor who were racking up strikes and spares at pineapple bowling. Daniel Bruce, resident of The Manor, was one of the few to get a ringer at Ring the Flamingo.

Scheduled for only an hour, it was difficult for MHCA District V officer Glenda Cato to persuade the competitors to come to the finish lines. Other planned activities were on the agenda and the dance contest was about to begin.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133