World-class competition isn’t just reserved for athletes in Paris as one Sandy Springs independent living facility demonstrated.
On July 26, about 20 senior residents at Somerby Sandy Springs competed in Bridge Tx:Team Senior Summer Games, a five-activity competition fashioned in the spirit of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Organized by Tx Therapy, a privately held, therapist-led organization whose staff work with Somerby residents, the competition saw teams participating in five events that highlighted aspects of strength, balance, cognition and hand-eye coordination, Rachel Hett, physical therapist team leader, said.
Groups participated in swimming pool “noodle” javelin throw, senior-friendly balance beam, free-throw basketball toss, soccer goal-kick competition and an Eiffel Tower cup stack featuring 10 blue, red and white cups.
“The whole point was to get people to move in ways that they might not do normally and have fun in the process,” she said. “I was very impressed with the way some of the participants could chuck that noodle.”
The concept originated with the popular Bridge Tx:Team Senior Summer Games held in July 2021 in conjunction with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
In an interview with Rough Draft, Hett said residents are still commenting on the fun that had at the Tokyo-inspired event, even three years later.
“It was definitely memorable then, and I think this one was too,” she said. “It was great to see people pushing themselves to try new things and get physically active.”
A plethora of studies have shown that poor nutrition and a lack of exercise speeds up the aging process in adults, and especially seniors.
The National Institute on Aging discussed several studies that show in adults older than 55, muscle mass was a better predictor of longevity than weight or body mass index.
“Although many studies focus on the effects of physical activity on weight and BMI, research has found that even if you’re not losing weight, exercise can still help you live longer and better,” the website said.
The website also offered several tips on how to keep active, even with chronic and age-related issues.
