Residents of Willenhall care home, Swan House, were so captivated by the events of Tokyo 2020, that they became competitors in their very own version of the games!
The residents and team at the care home on Pooles Lane dubbed the event the ‘Swan-lympics’. The event saw residents taking part in their own Olympic-inspired disciplines. These included weightlifting and gymnastics-themed seated exercises, bottle races, ring toss and lawn darts.
Swan House has a jam-packed programme of activities and entertainment each week, covering all interests and abilities. Gentle exercise and movement is an important and popular part of the activities programme and the contest element of the ‘Swan-lympics’ really captured the imagination of the Swan House family!
Tokyo 2020 also provided a wonderful opportunity to engage those who prefer the more creative activities at the Willenhall care home. During their arts and crafts sessions prior to the Olympics, residents enjoyed making medals, Olympic-style rings and a giant scoreboard to keep track of the Team GB medal tallies.
Each day throughout the events of Tokyo 2020, a different person would take charge of the home’s scoreboard and update the numbers of Team GB medals.
Julie Hinton, manager at Swan House, said: “Everyone at Swan House really enjoyed Team GB’s success at the Olympics. The boxing and horse riding were firm favourites.
“We’re always looking at new ways to engage and entertain our residents. The competition element kept everyone interested – the medal chart was always a topic of conversation!”
The activities team at Swan House work hard to ensure their residents can celebrate and take part in a wide variety of events and experiences. While group activities provide a great boost for social skills, the team also adapt activities for those who prefer to engage in quieter, more personal events.
