Regina retirees build community in Olympics-style national games week

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“I think it really truly brings people out of their shells.”

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There is an energetic quality to a Regina retirement home’s games week event that sparks the inner athletes in the seniors living there.

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Part of it comes from the pride of winning the genuine gold, silver or bronze medals that are handed to the winners of the various games. Shelly Sundholm, the executive director of College Park Retirement Residences I, says she sees more seniors join in on the weekly recreational sessions held throughout the year because of it.

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“I think it really, truly brings people out of their shells,” Sundholm said in an interview Thursday.

Seniors living in care residences across Canada will come together next week for an annual games competition, ranging from cornhole to bocce and bingo. Think of it like the Olympics, except held in a retirement community.

It’s an event that everyone, both residents and the workers, look forward to for quite some time and has the building buzzing with excitement all weeklong. Staff at Regina’s College Park Retirement Residences start organizing the games six months in advance. The residents started training even earlier.

Gold, silver and bronze medals are sitting in a display box held by a staff member of the retirement home.
All Seniors Care Seniors Games medals in a display case inside the College Park Retirement Residence on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 in Regina. Photo by KAYLE NEIS /Regina Leader-Post

Dawn Visvanathan has been a resident for five years and has participated in the event each year. She was nominated as the chefs de missions of her building as a way to promote team spirit and rally the residents for the upcoming events. She makes it a habit to attend the residence’s recreational activities year round, which she said hones her skills, especially when it comes to her favourite game — shuffleboard.

“It’s just an exciting week is what it is. It’s something we look forward to,” said Visvanathan, who has won a few medals in previous years.

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This is the 16th iteration of the national All Seniors Care Senior Games, a weeklong event aimed to give retirees opportunities to be active while creating memories. This year, 29 All Seniors Care Living Centres across the country will host a variety of games from Feb. 3-7. As part of the final round, scores will be compared to those from the other centres for a chance to win national titles.

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The event is one of the biggest initiatives in the calendar for the two College Park Retirement Residence buildings. For Rose Fries, who has also been a resident for the past five years and is the chefs de missions for her building, the event is meaningful for both the community and family members who come to cheer them on.

“It breaks up the winter and gives them other things to think about and it makes good memories,” said Fries, who is looking forward to both ladder ball and cornhole.

While not everyone competes, almost everyone in the building is involved at least with cheering each other on during the events. The games help build community among the retirees living there, with less of a focus on winning and more on feeling a sense of pride in themselves and each other.

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“Everybody celebrates everybody’s win. I always say we’re a family here and we celebrate together and we mourn together,” Sundholm said as she looked down at a memorial card of a past resident on her desk.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate together.”

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