Residents engage in friendly competition over six-week event
Kristian Partington

Derek Ryan and John Knox are always on the lookout for new programs and events they can organize that will have a big impact on residents and team members at the Village of Erin Meadows.

While sorting through director of recreation Sami Kermani’s computer one day, the recreation therapists came across videos of the Schlegel Villages intervillage Olympics from 2010, and from there a new idea soon emerged.

Joseph Heslin of Erin Meadows.

For more than two months they worked to organize the Erin Meadows Olympics featuring six events spanned over six weeks. The main goal was to include everyone in activities that were fun while featuring a little friendly competition.

“We wanted something we could do together as a group that would be competitive and bring everybody together, but would also be community focused, where it’s not about one winner but about everybody having a good time as we share being winners,” says John.

With creative events like ice fishing, curling, winter hunting (think marksmanship with Nerf rifles), hockey, Wii bobsledding and a relay race that incorporated all other events, they brought people together from all corners of the village, and had a great time doing it.

What was really exciting, Derek says, is residents representing all levels of cognitive ability were able to participate and after final scores were tallied the team from dementia-care were the grand winners.

The fact that the team of residents with some of the highest care needs was so active speaks to the motto they adopted: “Unus pro omnes pro uno” or “One for all and all for one.”

Derek and John both agree they enjoy a sense of freedom in their work that allows them to create new and fun ways to engage with residents.

“We set forth a lot of programs and I’m just glad that our manager allows us to pursue them,” Derek says.

“I think we provide a great sense of joy to our residents because of that.”

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