Pingtung County Day Care Sports Meet: Seniors Gain Confidence from Being Cared For to Participating in Challenges

Central News Agency

(Central News Agency Reporter Huang Yu-ching, Pingtung County, 9th) The Pingtung County Day Care Sports Meet kicked off lively today at Chaozhou Senior High School. This year's competitions include weightlifting and throwing, along with nostalgic children's games and DIY experiences. A total of 39 day care centers across the county, with 450 seniors and their families, participated, showcasing their health, vitality, and confidence.

County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi stated that this year marks the 3rd Pingtung County Day Care Sports Meet, held on the eve of Mother's Day. It is not only a joyful sports event but also a showcase of Pingtung's long-term care service achievements. The significance of the Day Care Sports Meet lies in the transition from 'being cared for' to 'being able to participate,' and further to 'willing to challenge.' Through daily rehabilitation training combined with competitive activities, seniors can rediscover their living abilities and self-worth.

Chou Chun-mi added that this year's competitions include individual events such as archery, darts, and weightlifting, as well as team events like shot put, football, and discus. Multiple fun activities are also planned to encourage seniors to bravely participate and challenge themselves. Long-term care is not just about care and being cared for; it also aims to help seniors maintain their daily living functions through professional services, while also providing respite support for caregivers. Pingtung, as the first county in the nation to establish a long-term care department, continues to develop more comprehensive and precise care services, including Indigenous long-term care and dementia care, offering diverse professional service models.

The Pingtung County Government Long-Term Care Department issued a press release stating that many seniors have regained confidence and motivation through the Day Care Sports Meet. Grandma Chung, who completed 86 weightlifts in 60 seconds last year, received thunderous applause and proactively signed up again this year to challenge her previous record. Grandpa Chuang, who was originally more introverted, also increased interaction and communication with his family during the preparation process for the competition, and his family came to cheer him on the day of the sports meet, demonstrating the positive outcomes of day care rehabilitation and companionship.

The Long-Term Care Department pointed out that in addition to sports competitions, the Day Care Sports Meet also features nostalgic children's games and DIY experience activities, including ring toss, marble games, Mahjong Bingo, pitcher's nine-square grid, and mugwort massage stick DIY, allowing seniors to interact and enhance communication while enjoying the games.

The Long-Term Care Department mentioned that once the competition dates were announced, many seniors actively practiced at the day care centers. Every action is an important process for rehabilitation training and regaining physical abilities. The sports meet, through simple and effective competitive events, allows seniors to maintain regular physical activity during participation, delaying physical function decline, and simultaneously gaining a sense of accomplishment and confidence from the competitions. (Editor: Chen Jen-hua) 1150509

Stand with the facts. Every sponsorship helps protect press freedom.

Download CNA's "Firsthand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.

Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, transmitted, or used without authorization.
Keywords: