The 2020 Tokyo Olympics may have been cancelled, but older people all around Australia are still taking part in the Tokyo Marathon, from right inside their aged care homes.
Guide Healthcare is helping aged care residents are take part in the 30 day marathon, completing legs of the track and passing Tokyo landmarks as they race around tracks set up at their homes.
And they are inviting aged care homes from all around Australia to join them in the fun.
Competing in teams, participants have 30 days to travel 42km around circuits in each home. Reaching key milestones like 5km, 10km and 20km, they will also celebrate reaching important landmarks like the Tokyo Tower and Imperial Palace.
“We wanted to create the opportunity where we bring the outside in,” said Managing Director Simon Kerrigan.
“We thought we could do that by connecting them to other homes through a competition, and by hopefully giving them the experience of traveling through a city.
“We found the [Tokyo Marathon] course, so we thought we could actually get them to meet some key landmarks along the way, give them some information about it. Uncover them as they reach those markers making a fun way to bring the outside world in,” he said
Guide Healthcare has also set up a live online scoreboard where residents, staff members and families are able to check the progress of how residents are going and there they are on the leaderboard, compared to other teams across the country.
“The leaderboard hopefully gives some inspiration for residents to track how they’re going and see how they’re competing against others, and inspire them to move a little bit more, or get a few more laps for their team.
“We hope this will awaken the competitive spirit within our residents and inspire them to move more during this period when most homes remain in lockdown.”
As older people are at risk of both physical and psychological decline through inactivity and social isolation, the Tokyo Marathon event is hopefully one that residents can take part in to not only boost their mood, but also their health and wellbeing.
Guide Healthcare have opened up the competition to other aged care facilities around Australia and will happily provide a kit to set up the Tokyo Marathon in your home. The kit includes an event outline, location sign posts, posters and access to the online scoreboard.
To get involved, contact Guide Healthcare at: [email protected]
