Gold Coast Celebrates Health and Wellness with Annual Hijinx Games

Four Bolton Clarke aged care communities on the Gold Coast have come together to celebrate fun, fitness and healthy competition at the annual HiJinx games. 

The event is a highlight of the calendar for Winders, Darlington, and Galleon Gardens residents and Gold Coast HomeCare clients, and includes a sports challenge covering pool noodle javelin, darts, bowls, cooee calling, tunnel ball and a range of other low impact activities.

Designed to be inclusive of all abilities and fitness levels, the games encourage movement, participation, building of friendships and lots of laughter – along with a healthy level of competition.

Winders residential aged care Diversional Therapist Sue Todd said the games are much more than just a day of events.

“We spend months training and preparing - we have bi-weekly training sessions which are great exercise for the residents,” she said.

“It keeps them motivated and gives them something lovely to look forward to. Even if the residents can’t or don’t wish to participate they enjoy watching and cheering along.”

Next year the sites are planning on moving the games forward to coincide with the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

The highlight of the Hi-Jinx games is undoubtedly the Slip Slop Slap Race – a co-operative staff and resident relay involving a quick change into t-shirt, sunscreen and a hat and a dash to the finish line.

“The residents are absolutely in stitches watching this – they love it and often yell lots of encouragement as we do it,” Sue said. 

Find out more about Bolton Clarke.