SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Program 16

“Create memories that will last a life time” 

 

SOSOPWORLD understands that its Sports and Entertainment Programs cannot please all the tastes and needs of its members. So, we will try to please the majority.  

 

Sports Programs   

 

1. Year-Round Sports (Outdoors or outdoors) 
2. Winter Sports  
3. Theatre 
4. Acting
5. Gardening, Bird-watching, and Other Outdoor Pastimes

 

 

Take up a new instrument, learn to play golf, take up swimming, maybe Tai chi, or become an expert on the local history of your community. Think about the things you always wished you’d had learnt when you were young and take the opportunity to learn them now. 

 

Best Age-Friendly Sports for Older Adults    

 

If you’ve ever known the thrill and camaraderie to be found from playing sports with a group of people that have similar abilities. Then you have memories that will last a life time. While every person’s abilities and fitness levels differ, typically as we age, the more aggressive team sports we enjoyed in our youth may pose a higher risk of injury as we get older. 

 

What are the most age-friendly sports for older adults and seniors to enjoy? 

 

You can take your pick from these favourite sports activities for seniors: 

 

 

Year-Round Sports (Outdoors or outdoors)  

 

• Golf 
• Miniature golf 

• Table pool 
• Shuffleboard 
• Bocce 
• Tennis 
• Badminton 

• Pickle ball 
• Croquet 
• Ball tossing 
• Frisbee tossing 
• Volleyball 

• Horseshoes 
• Lawn bowling 
• Indoor bowling 
• Wii bowling 
• Curling 

 

 

Walking – Going for a walk or a bike ride gets you out of the house, and your speed doesn’t matter. You can use Nordic Walking Poles if you want to get more of a workout from your walk. Check out local conservation areas and parks; or in bad weather walk in a mall by yourself or join a group. 

 

Swimming – Indoor community pools usually offer the opportunity to swim lengths, in addition to aqua fitness classes, which are particularly kind to aging joints and bones. Some even offer warm/hot pool exercise activities.  

 

Yoga, Tai Chi and Wii and bowling are fun activities that offer low impact fitness and relaxation for individuals or groups. Many libraries and seniors’ centers offer many of these programs. 

 

 Dancing – There are plenty of dance lessens offered in most communities, and it’s a great way to have fun and get fit. Zumba Gold is a dance class designed specifically with older adults in mind.  

 

Tennis or badminton – Indoor and outdoor courts offer year-round access where you can join to play these racquet sports; most offer senior leagues. For more fun try ping pong or table tennis.  

 

Pool or billiards – Indoor year-round fun that you can enjoy at home if you have the room, or at a pool hall. Some may say that it’s not a sport, but moving around the table, bending and reaching, is more exercise than sitting on a couch clicking a TV remote control. 

 

Pickleball – A net and a ball game similar to tennis, but played at a slower place on a smaller court. You can play singles or doubles where offered at your local recreation center, and it’s been proven very popular with aging baby boomers.  

 

Powerlifting/Weightlifting – Not something for the person who only wants to go occasionally to the gym or do a light workout now and then. However, for those who want to venture down this road (after getting the nod from their Doctor to avoid injuries) weightlifting is something that can be enjoyed all year long.  

 

Boating – While motorboats are fun, canoeing will give you more bang for your buck if you want to combine fun and fitness.    

 

Fishing – Whether it’s deep-sea fishing, or on the bank of the nearest pond or river, senior anglers can enjoy this activity well into their later years. 

 

Lawn Bowling – A great team sport that offers the benefits of socializing and a gentle fitness activity for older adults. There are clubs just for the 50+ and senior generations. 

 

Croquet – Offers all the benefits of lawn bowling for older adult fitness, but, you can also have friends over and play this in your back yard. Good fun for all ages.  

 

Golf – Amateur golfers have a wide range of courses to play on. Lessons, golf carts, and the club house can all add to your fun whether you’re venturing out as a single or you have a group that plays regularly. A great way to get out, have some fun, and enjoy the company of great friends. 

 

Biking – Easier on the joints than running, plus if you strap a basket on the front or back you can multi-task while having fun. 

 

Walking Soccer/Football – That’s right, no running allowed! A great way for older adults to play a team sport they love while reducing stress on the joints and lowering the risk of injury. 

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

Winter Sports   

 

Curling – Another great team sport that offers fitness for the elderly. 50+, seniors and older adults can enjoy curling for many years, usually at indoor ice rinks. 

 

Cross Country Skiing – for the more physically fit, cross country skiing offers a gentler alternative to downhill skiing. Go to a trail, or down the street/out in the back yard, for practice. 

 

Note: 

Don’t let age stop you from keeping physically active. Regardless of your fitness level or whether you’re in your 50+ years, a baby boomer or a young at heart senior citizen, there is bound to be a new hobby or activity you can learn and enjoy.  

Always check with your physician before starting any new health regimen or fitness activity. 

  

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

Theatre Programs   

 

What is theatre and why is it important? 

 

Theatre helps you express yourself, helps you tell the stories of your life and the lives of others. It helps you create meaning through personal narratives. Theatre influences the way we think and feel about our own lives, forcing us to examine ourselves, our values, our behavior. 

 

Theatre brings together communities to listen to opposing points of view, and to study social problems and attempt to find solutions. Theatre also promotes education and literacy. 

 

 

Advantages and disadvantages of theatre 

 

Disadvantages:  

 

Theatre has many disadvantages for both the artists’ and the audiences’’ imaginations. The obvious downside is that the theatre performance is not permanent; it is gone as it is delivered. We can’t fix any mistakes like we can in film.   

 

Advantages:  

 

• Self-confidence – By taking risks in class and performing for an audience teaches students to trust their ideas. 
•  Cooperation and Collaboration – Theatre combines the creative ideas and abilities from its artists.  
• Invokes Problem Solving…    
• Fun… 

• Trust… 
• Memory… 
• Social Awareness… 

 

 

Why is Theatre Important? 

 

The theatre helps us express ourselves through telling not just our life story, but, also, the lives of others. We can create meaning through personal narratives. The theatre can influence the way we think and the way we feel about our lives by forcing us to examine ourselves, our values, and our behavior.  

 

 

Acting Programs 

 

Does Age Matter? 

 

Many want-a-be actors want to know how old is too old to start an acting career? This question comes up a lot because in most jobs, there’s always a line which you cannot cross at a certain age.  

 

There is no Age Limit for Actors! 

 

• The “Senior Theatre” is a form of drama designed for older adults, where seniors are actively involved. 
• In 2000, there were 85 companies in North America, today there are over 1000 groups and many more around the world.  

• Many performers want to be on stage when they reach an older age. Some have never acted before, some have performed when they were young, while others have acted all their lives and know the joy of performing. A big plus for seniors is that they have the time to explore the theatre to find their best fit. 

Here are just two of the skills, traits, and qualities of personalities that are usually well developed in individuals who complete four years of undergraduate study.  

 

Oral Communication Skills 

 

Students find that the theatre helps them develop the confidence to speak clearly, lucidly, and thoughtfully.  

 

The more you act on stage, the more comfortable you’ll be speaking in front of a large audience, and some of your acting will give you additional experience talking to groups. Acting will teach you that clear, precise, and well-organized oral communications are the best.  

 

 

You Will Gain Creative Problem-Solving Abilities 

 

All students are expected to exhibit creativity in such areas as acting, design, playwriting, or directing, and many companies do recruit creative thinkers.   

 

For any production to succeed; all participants need to work together and know that there is no room for “Me” versus “They” behavior; the “Star” diva is a thing of the past. Your colleagues will let you know when you have violated the team spirit of the production.  

 

It’s important that each induvial supports the others involved in the production. This will show the outside world that you know how to be a “Team Player”.  

 

 

 

Gardening, Bird-Watching, and Outdoor Pastimes 

 

The natural world is full of pleasurable sights, sounds, and other sensory delights. So, as long as the weather is decent, being outside can-do wonders for your mood. You’ll love being connected to something awesome and bigger than yourself.  

Here is a Short List That You Can Add to:  

 

• Gardening – the act, activity, or pastime of planning and cultivating gardens … The worlds number-one leisure pursuit still remains the gentle, slow-going, idyllic activity of gardening. 
• Birdwatching – birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye or by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, or by listening for bird sounds. 
• Walking –  

 

 

 

Walking 

Hiking 

Picnics 

Boat rides 

Metal detecting 

Kite flying 

Nature photography   

 

 

Why Play is Important   

Scientific studies continue to show that enjoyable activities can have several major benefits. For example, they have the power to help: 

Improve How Your Brain Works – Do you want to maintain your memory and optimize your ability to learn new things? Engaging in play on a regular basis can enhance your creative and mental sharpness. 

Heal, Establish, or Maintain Relationships – A lot of seniors are lonely. In fact, on average, seniors without spouses or partners spend about 10 hours alone each day. But having some fun can enable older adults to make new friends or improve existing relationships. 

Things like laughter and friendly competition are known to increase harmony, trust, empathy, and intimacy among people who experience them together. 

 

Improve Your Mental and Emotional Well-Being – Do you like the way you feel when you have a brighter outlook on life and your sense of time recedes into the background? Engaging in activities you enjoy can expand your optimism, multiply your moments of joy, and reduce your stress. It can also prevent depression.  

  

Extend Your Life and Improve your Physical Vitality – Who doesn’t want to feel younger or more energetic? Creating plenty of fun moments in your life can be a good way to boost your immune system, reduce your risk of illness, and minimize your perception of any pain you might already have.   

Play should be a major part of life for everyone. We can all probably use many more joyful experiences. It’s who we are, no matter our age. 

 

Entertainment Programs 

1. Theatre 

1. Dancing  

1. Traveling (short and long trips) 

1. Movies  

1. Stage Plays 

1. TV Shows 

1. Music 

1. Seniors and Food 

1. Parties and Other Social Gatherings 

 

 

1) Theatre Programs   

 

What is theatre and why is it important? 

 

Theatre helps you express yourself, helps you tell the stories of your life and the lives of others. It helps you create meaning through personal narratives. Theatre influences the way we think and feel about our own lives, forcing us to examine ourselves, our values, our behavior. 

 

Theatre brings together communities to listen to opposing points of view, and to study social problems and attempt to find solutions. Theatre also promotes education and literacy. 

 

 

Advantages and disadvantages of theatre 

 

Disadvantages:  

 

Theatre has many disadvantages for both the artists’ and the audiences’’ imaginations. The obvious downside is that the theatre performance is not permanent; it is gone as it is delivered. We can’t fix any mistakes like we can in film.   

 

Advantages:  

 

• Self-confidence – By taking risks in class and performing for an audience teaches students to trust their ideas. 
•  Cooperation and Collaboration – Theatre combines the creative ideas and abilities from its artists.  
• Invokes Problem Solving…    
• Fun… 
• Trust… 

• Memory… 
• Social Awareness… 

 

 

Why is Theatre Important? 

 

The theatre helps us express ourselves through telling not just our life story, but, also, the lives of others. We can create meaning through personal narratives. The theatre can influence the way we think and the way we feel about our lives by forcing us to examine ourselves, our values, and our behavior.  

 

 

2) Acting Programs 

 

Does Age Matter? 

 

Many want-a-be actors want to know how old is too old to start an acting career? This question comes up a lot because in most jobs, there’s always a line which you cannot cross at a certain age.  

 

There is no Age Limit for Actors! 

 

• The “Senior Theatre” is a form of drama designed for older adults, where seniors are actively involved. 
• In 2000, there were 85 companies in North America, today there are over 1000 groups and many more around the world.  
• Many performers want to be on stage when they reach an older age. Some have never acted before, some have performed when they were young, while others have acted all their lives and know the joy of performing. A big plus for seniors is that they have the time to explore the theatre to find their best fit. 

 

Here are just two of the skills, traits, and qualities of personalities that are usually well developed in individuals who complete four years of undergraduate study.  

 

Oral Communication Skills 

 

Students find that the theatre helps them develop the confidence to speak clearly, lucidly, and thoughtfully.  

 

The more you act on stage, the more comfortable you’ll be speaking in front of a large audience, and some of your acting will give you additional experience talking to groups. Acting will teach you that clear, precise, and well-organized oral communications are the best.  

 

 

You Will Gain Creative Problem-Solving Abilities 

 

All students are expected to exhibit creativity in such areas as acting, design, playwriting, or directing, and many companies do recruit creative thinkers.   

 

For any production to succeed; all participants need to work together and know that there is no room for “Me” versus “They” behavior; the “Star” diva is a thing of the past. Your colleagues will let you know when you have violated the team spirit of the production.  

 

It’s important that each induvial supports the others involved in the production. This will show the outside world that you know how to be a “Team Player”.  

 

3) Dancing Programs 

Dancing to music can connect your body to exciting and healing rhythms. While singing popular songs (even badly) in front of other people can help you enjoy the humor in your efforts and avoid taking yourself too seriously. And performing in other ways – such as acting in a skit or trying a stand-up comedy routine – can remind you of how much fun it is to tell stories in new or creative ways.    

 

Some Great Things to Try 

 

• Line, ballroom, salsa, or swing dancing 
• All ages Karaoke 

• Acting in a play 
• Telling Jokes to an audience 
• Reading books or reciting poetry to a group 
• Writing and acting out skits 
• Participating in a comedic improv 

• Starting a seniors’ dance troupe  

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

 

4) Travel (See the BRAT club) 

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

5) Movies 

  

Movies, Stage Plays and TV Shows have changed a lot over the years which can make satisfying older adults more difficult. With unlimited content available through the many popular streaming platforms, it can be hard to narrow down options or find entertainment that will appeal to the older generation. But movies and shows can help keep them entertained and allow for some down time to relax. To help provide these experiences here is a list of some of the best of the past. 

 

Great Movies for Seniors:  

• All the President’s Men (1976) … 

• The Help (2011) … 
• Singing in the Rain (1952) … 
• Lincoln (2012) … 
• Grumpy Old Men (1993) … 
• The Bucket List (2007) … 

• Driving Miss Daisy (1989) … 
• The Wizard of Oz (1939) 

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

 

6) Great Stage Plays: 

1. Hamlet by William Shakespeare. … 

1. Long Day’s Journey into Night by Eugene O’Neill. … 

1. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? … 

1. Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. … 

1. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. … 

1. Angels in America by Tony Kushner. … 

1. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. … 

1. Look Back in Anger by John Osborne. 

 

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

5) Great TV Shows 

• Jeopardy – To satisfy the game show need when it arises 
• Great British Baking Show 
• I Love Lucy 
• Downton Abbey 

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

 

7) Music Programs 

Look through your loved one’s music collections for their favorite songs and entertainers. Music and memory are inextricably linked – just as our favorite films Have iconic soundtracks, so do we have a soundtrack to the recollection of our own lives. 

Here are some old favorites: 

• When the Saints Go Marching In 
• Button Up Your Overcoat 
• Coal Miner’s Daughter 
• I’ve Got Rhythm 

• Kansas City 
• Country Roads 

 

 

A few of the old crooners  

• Frank Sinatra – New York, New York, Strangers in the Night, Come Fly with Me, My Way, Fly me to the Moon  
• Dean martin – That’s Amore, Everybody Loves Somebody, Return to Me, Volare, Sway  
• Sammy Davis, Jr. – The Candy Man, I’ve Gotta Be Me, What Kind of Fool Am I, Birth of The Blues   

 

A Few Top Jazz Artists  

• Billie Holiday 
• Charlie Parker 
• Duke Ellington and John Coltrane 
• Ella Fitzgerald 
• Louis Armstrong 

• Miles Davis  

 

A Few Older Songs Everyone Might Enjoy 

• Blue Skies 
• Come Together 

• Eight Days a Week 
• Love Me Do 
• Blue Suede Shoes 
• Close to You 
• I’ve Got the World on a String 

• L-O-V-E 

 

 

 

8) Seniors and Their food Programs 

 

Note: – Check out “The Seniors Table Program” 

 

What is nutrition and why is it important for older adults? 

Nutrition is about eating a healthy and balanced diet so your body gets the nutrients that it needs. Nutrients are substances in foods that our bodies need to function and grow. They include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water. 

 

Good nutrition is important, no matter what your age. It gives you energy and can help control your weight. It may also help prevent some diseases, such as osteoporosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers.  

But as you age, your body and life change, and so does what you need to stay healthy. For example, you may need fewer calories, but you still need to get enough nutrients. While some older adults need more protein.   

 

 

What Foods Are Good for Seniors?  

 

• Fruits and Vegetables – Choose different types with bright colors. 
• Whole grains, like oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, and brown rice. 
• Fat-free or low-fat milk and cheese, or soy or rice milk that has added vitamin D and calcium. 

• Seafood, lean meats, poultry, and eggs 
• Beans, nuts, and seeds. 

 

 

Super Foods for Seniors: “How to eat like you’ll live forever” 

• Dark Leafy Greens – leafy greens like spinach, kale, dandelion greens, arugula are essential superfoods in any diet. 
• Green Tea 
• Blueberries 
• Salmon 
• Orange Juice with calcium 

• Beans 
• Cinnamon    

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

 

9) Parties and other Social Gatherings Programs 

 

Socializing can be a powerful way to inject more fun into someone’s life. That’s particularly true if you get to reminisce about old times or talk about other things that interest you. In fact, a good conversation may elevate your mood and outlook more than anything else on this list, especially if you keep things jovial. 

So, don’t shy away from attending other people’s parties or joining clubs. Also, consider planning some of your own events. You can plan parties around all kinds of themes such as: 

 

• Casino night 
• Murder mystery 
• Trivia night 
• Mexican fiesta  

• Ugly sweater night 
• The 1920s, 50s, 60s, etc. 
• Masquerade ball 
• Arabian nights 
• Mardi Gras 

• Pirates 
• Hawaiian luau 
• Jungle bash 
• The Oscars 
• Formal tea 

• Secret Santa 

 

“Click here for Professional Help and support” 

 

With Respect 

THE SOSOPWORLD TEAM