Older people in Perth and Kinross have been supported by Brian Cox as they displayed their Olympic spirit taking part in a care home challenge.
In a bid to show the importance of physical activity for older people, residents from care homes and day centres are taking part in the ninth annual Go4Gold event in Perth and Kinross.
Around 400 residents from 30 care settings have been trying their hand at various games and challenges throughout the past week.
And they were supported by Hollywood actor Brian Cox and Deputy First Minister John Swinney, who sent messages of support.
The event has previously taken place at Bells Sports Centre in Perth, but coronavirus forced each care setting to host their own in-house Go4Gold event.
It also allowed a larger number of residents to participate in the Go4Gold activities, NHS Tayside said.
The participants took part in various physical challenges including a golf putting challenges, skittles, picking up objects of nature and a goal scoring target.
Each care setting also enjoyed a video introduction to their events welcoming them and getting them into the spirit with a warm up activity and an Olympic coverage style studio chat.
In the weeks before the event, staff and residents from each care home also created posters reflecting this year’s Go4Gold theme of ‘Walking with Nature’.
An award ceremony was held virtually on Tuesday August 31 where all the participants were presented with certificates and medals for the teams. Winning teams also received a trophy.
The virtual ceremony included filmed messages from Brian Cox as well as Perthshire North MSP John Swinney.
Perth and Kinross health and social car partnership’s falls service manager Carolyn Wilson said: “The past 18 months have been particularly challenging for all of our care homes.
“The usual annual care home games challenge held at Bells Sports Centre was impossible but we wanted to recreate it, particularly with the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics running this summer.
“It’s fantastic to see so many homes participating and the residents really entering into the competitive spirit with enthusiasm and excitement.
“Go4Gold demonstrates that everyone can exercise in some way and offers a lasting legacy promoting physical activity.
“It goes to prove that even the frailest in our society can come together, participate in physical activity and above all have fun.”
Gordon Paterson, chief officer of the partnership, added: “Given the difficulties and challenges our care homes have had to overcome, delivering the competition this year was really important to us.
“It’s been fantastic to see everything they have been getting up to and the energy with which they have approached the competition.”
Whilst it was a challenge to hold the event, Mr Paterson said the enthusiastic response showed how they could empower people of any age to stay healthy and active.
Care home staff step up to deliver event
He added: “It’s great that so many of our care homes and residents are taking part this year, especially given the prolonged period of uncertainty and unprecedented challenges that our homes have faced across the last 16 months due to Covid-19.
“Care home staff have been fantastic in stepping up an enabling so many people to take part in the activities and it really is a testament to their compassion and dedication that we have been able to involve nearly 400 residents from all across Perth and Kinross in this year’s competition.”
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