Long-term care residents representing Signature HealthCARE of Hillcrest and Hermitage Care & Rehabilitation Center from Owensboro defied traditional ideas of aging at last week’s regional Senior Olympics competition.
From a corn hole tournament to a free-throw challenge and halftime challenge, Senior Olympics proves to patients, volunteers and stakeholders that no matter your age, fun and new memories can happen.
“Some of our residents feel like kids again at Senior Olympics,” said Bill Conley, CEO at Signature HealthCARE of Hillcrest. “Life doesn’t stop when you come to a nursing home. We’re all about celebrating what they can do, rather than what they can’t do.”
Instead of looking back at their life, elders at Senior Olympics look to their friendly competition and say, “I’ll get you next year.” The annual Senior Olympics event pushes aside the aging clichés of nostalgia and frailty for fierce competition, perseverance and teamwork.
“It’s important for our residents to continue to have fun and to live an active life, not only because not only does it create a fun life and improve their quality of life, but it also helps with their overall health,” Logan Midkiff, CEO at Signature HealthCARE of Hermitage, said.
Competing at this year’s Senior Olympics event held in Bowling Green included Signature HealthCARE nursing home residents, employees and volunteers of all ages from Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana.
“Aging clichés are a thing of the past at Senior Olympics where nursing home residents flex their abilities and compete for gold. Residents from Hermitage Care & Rehabilitation Center in Owensboro took home 3rd place overall,” said Cait Crenshaw, communications manager for Signature Health Care. “It’s a loved event, because our nursing home residents feel like kids again.”
