Volunteers in custody at Wooroloo Prison Farm are helping aged care residents get in the game to stay active and nurture their mental and physical wellbeing.
Organised by the Senior’s Recreation Council of Western Australia (SRCWA), the LiveLighter Aged Care Games are specifically designed for seniors in care and held across the metropolitan area throughout the year.
At each event, prisoners from Wooroloo set up chairs, tables and games equipment, help the competitors off and on buses, and serve them cups of tea and coffee.
The prisoners also umpire and score competition games including seated hockey, seated pass ball, beanbag toss, and skittles.
“It’s good for the community, it’s good for the seniors and it’s good for the boys,” said Recreation Vocational Support Officer (VSO), Augie.
The partnership began 12 years ago in Mundaring when Augie met SRCWA Executive Officer Dawn Yates at an information session for the organisation.
“I had a look around and saw that all the volunteers helping were over 70 years old,” he said.
Dawn said the Wooroloo staff didn’t hesitate to offer the Prison Farm’s services.
“They said: ‘Let us help, what do you want us to do’,” she recalled.
More than a decade later that partnership sustains the Aged Care Games and other LiveLighter events like the Channel Nine sponsored Have a Go Day, which will be held in November.
"We couldn’t do it without them, we’d be lost as an organisation without their help, we can’t thank them enough,” Dawn said.
Augie said the men in care at Wooroloo line up to be a part of the events, and that helping the seniors helps them in return.
“You get lost in it, watching them have fun, it’s fulfilling,” said one of the prisoners. “It’s nice to help and give other people a good day out.”
