Active Aging

4 Active Aging Week September 22-28, 2013 September 22-28, 2013 Active Aging Week 5 by Sherry Kaniuga For the Free Press Y ou could call it badmin-tenni-pong. Many call it the perfect sport for seniors. Its actual name is pickleball, and its popularity is spreading like wildfire in Manitoba, especially among the 55- plus set. Pickleball can be played year-round, indoors or outdoors, on a badminton-sized court using a plastic wiffle-style ball and lightweight paddles similar to those used for ping-pong. Enthusiast Ruby Laughren says it's the ideal game for people who want to be active without having to be overly athletic. "It's a serious game with a silly name, but it's lots of fun. The ball is lighter and doesn't go as fast as with tennis, and it's much easier on your shoulders because you serve underhand," Laughren explains. "The court is also smaller so it's a bit easier on your knees, because you don't have to run as far." A volunteer with the St. James-Assiniboia 55+ Centre's pickleball club and a Pickleball Canada ambassador, Laughren says the game is wildly popular in the southern U.S. A centre member introduced it to a small group of St. James-Assiniboia players about six years ago after playing it as a "snowbird" during a winter in Arizona. The game was dreamed up in a backyard near Seattle in 1965. As the story goes, one of the inventors had a dog named Pickles who kept stealing the ball, so they called it Pickles' ball, which eventually morphed into pickleball – and stuck. Hundreds of Manitobans now play pickleball in Winnipeg, Winkler, Morden, Headingley and Killarney. And its popularity is growing, particularly since it was added as an official event at the 2013 Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries 55 Plus Games in Morris in June. Laughren and other St. James- Assiniboia members lobbied for its inclusion, and many of them were proud to take home medals. While there is a core group of competitive players, the game is also played just for fun, says Roxanne Greaves-Tackie, executive director of the St. James- Assiniboia 55+ Centre. "It's really kind of exploded in the last two or three years," Greaves-Tackie says. "It's just one of those neat games where you don't need to be an athlete; if you have a good pair of runners, you can try it out. PicklebAll HAs it All Fun game with silly name sweeps the province T Thorvaldson T CareCenter AnIntermediateCareFacilityforSeniors T 495StradbrookAve.•Winnipeg Pleasecallformoreinformationortoarrangeatour JocelynThorvaldson 452–4044 (weekdays) www.thorcare.ca E-mail:thorcare@shaw.ca Over50yearsofcaringforSeniors! ThorvaldsonCareCenterisa governmentlicensed,familyrun IntermediateCarefacilityproviding caretoseniorssince1959.Weoffer amoderatelysized,non-institutional environmentwithprofessionalservicesto meettheneedsofthoseinthelaterstages oflife. 'Intermediate'PersonalCareis providedtothosewhorequiremore assistancethaninSupportiveHousingor AssistedLivingresidences.Intermediate careprovides'lighter'careandsupportto residentsascomparedtotheheaviercare inaPersonalCareHome.Thorvaldson CareCenteristheonlyIntermediateCare facilityin Manitoba. WhatdoesIntermediatePersonalCareoffer? • 24hourcare/supervisionbyHealth CareAides • RegisteredNurseon-site(weekdays) • Medications,inhalers,eyedropsare administered • Monitoredbloodsugar/bloodpressure • Bloodwork,EKG,Xrayservices • Medicalappts/transportationarranged • Assistwithbathing(completeassist), dressing,hygiene • Assistwithcatheters/oxygen • Private,bedsittingroomwithbathroom • Twonursecallbuttonsineachsuite • Threehome-cookedmealsperdayplus snacks • Housekeeping(daily),Laundry(personal andlinens) • AccreditedActivityDirector&Recreation Programs The game was dreamed up in a backyard near Seattle in 1965. As the story goes, one of the inventors had a dog named Pickles who kept stealing the ball, so they called it Pickles' ball, which eventually morphed into pickleball – and stuck. } { It's really a great all-inclusive sport that you could play with your friends or your kids and grandkids." The centre provides equipment to the pickleball club, which welcomes new players. Laughren says anyone who tries pickleball ends up loving the game. "It doesn't take as long to play as something like golf, and it's certainly a social game – the slogan used all over the world by players is 'Fun, Fitness and Friendship,' " she says. While pickleball is popular with seniors, it's an all- ages game that's even played in some schools. "When kids get in and play it, they really enjoy it," Laughren says. The St. James-Assiniboia pickleball club helps other local 55-plus groups whose members are interested in learning the game, by offering demonstrations and teaching new players the rules. The club meets at Sturgeon Heights Community Club on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for competitive play in the morning and recreational play in the afternoon. New members are welcome to join anytime, but the official session begins Oct. 1. Pickleball is also played at the Wellness Institute at Seven Oaks General Hospital, the Reh-Fit Centre, Good Neighbours Active Living Centre and other locations. The Active Living Coalition for Older Adults in Manitoba has complete pickleball sets, including portable nets, paddles, pickleballs and rules of play that can be borrowed to help any older adult group to set up a pickleball program. Contact ALCOA- MB at 204-632-3947 or email info@alcoamb.org. The popular game of pickleball is catching on with Manitobans of all ages. Photos by Darcy Finley St. James-Assiniboia 55+ Centre members play at Sturgeon Heights Community Club. << continued tHe cAnADiAn PHysicAl Activity guiDelines for olDer ADults sAy you sHoulD: • Take part in at least 2.5 hours of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. • Spread out the activities into sessions of 10 minutes or more. • Add muscle and bone strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week. This will help your posture and balance. The more you move the better you will start to feel. Although moderate physical activity is appropriate for most people, it is important to check with your health-care provider to see if you will need to consider any modifications before increasing your activity level. please visit manitobainmotion.ca to learn more. >>

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