Residential Care Facilities Unite For Hawke’s Bay Aged Care Sport’s Day

A wave of excitement is building across the Hawke’s Bay care community as a group of local residential care facilities prepare to host their first annual Hawke’s Bay Aged Care Sport’s Day, an event designed to celebrate older residents through friendly competition, connection, and cultural unity.

Ten residential care facilities have come together to develop this unique series of sporting and intellectual challenges, offering residents a chance to exercise both body and mind while fostering teamwork and camaraderie. Each team is made up of residents from their respective facilities, and every event has been carefully chosen to ensure accessibility and enjoyment for participants of all abilities. Residents have now been training for months, finding their enthusiasm heightened as the event date approaches ever closer.

“Really it’s about playing against ourselves and having fun. Doing it, supporting each other, cheering each other on, being happy for our victories and for others'” Explains Jools, a resident of Brittany House. “You get your highs and your lows, good days and bad and we just try to support each other"

Rose and Missy, activities coordinators at Brittany House, who have over two decades of experience, drew inspiration from similar events held decades ago, to develop the ideas behind the Sport’s Day that will be held on November 10. They wanted to create an environment that was more than about competition, and more so about belonging, empowerment and joy. After receiving full support for their concept from management at Brittany House, they collaborated with their peers and Diversional Therapists from other facilities, who enthusiastically joined forces with them to bring the event to life.

The Aged Care Sport’s Day has been designed with a deep respect for all cultures and values, ensuring the event reflects the spiritual and communal harmony that lies at the heart of Hawke’s Bay. The day embodies the spirit of unity and inclusion that the people involved in the event worked tirelessly to achieve.

Staff, family members and volunteers have all played key roles in bringing this vision to life. The event has already had a profound impact on participants, helping many residents rediscover a sense of purpose and belonging. Joining in or feeling part of something bigger can be difficult as we age, and these games can give residents something meaningful to look forward to. The laughter, teamwork and pride that organisers have seen make it all worthwhile for them.

The inaugural Hawke’s Bay Aged Care Sport’s Day is set to become a cherished annual tradition, celebrating not only the talents of the region’s seniors but also the diverse cultural fabric that strengthens the Hawke’s Bay community.

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