Elderly show their mettle at Golden Games
The Golden Games are part of the Active Ageing Programme to enhance the quality of life and improve the health of older persons by engaging them in programmes which promote optimal levels of social, physical, mental and emotional well-being.
The elderly from Gert Sibande District Municipality converged at the AJ Swanepoel Stadium last Wednesday to battle it out at the annual Golden Games.
All seven local municipalities put their best teams forward to compete in the 24 sporting codes, including duck walk, dress up race, soccer, ring the stick and jukskei.
The Golden Games are part of the Active Ageing Programme implemented by the Department of Social Development in partnership with the Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture and various stakeholders. The aim is to enhance the quality of life and improve the health of older persons by engaging them in programmes which promote optimal levels of social, physical, mental and emotional well-being to prevent or delay the onset of ageing challenges and keep old-age related illness at bay.
They focus on sport activities and events and target people who are 60 years and older from community-based facilities such as service clubs and centres.
Older persons in rural areas, informal settlements and disadvantaged communities are also involved and encouraged to participate.
The goal of active ageing is to maintain mobility and functional independence for as long as possible.
“Active ageing programmes are needed to enable people to continue to work according to their capacities and preferences as they grow older, and to prevent or delay disabilities and chronic diseases that are costly to individuals, families and the health care system,” said Sibongile Khumalo, who is responsible for the Older Persons programme at the Department of Social Development.
Older people, male and female, took part in the different activities, showing that one is never too old to do anything one puts one’s mind to.
The event saw 124 athletes chosen to participate in the provincial games taking place in Witbank on 6 September with winners there to compete in the national games in October.
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