Senior Living: Seniors Enjoy Spectator Sports Too!

Seniors enjoy spectator sports too, but sports complexes are not exactly built for spectators with creaky knees, tired backs and boney butts.  Whether they are die-heart sports fans or just supporting junior family members, bleachers are filled with grandparents who come out to watch baseball, football, swimming and every other game known to man.  Must older sports fan be doomed to suffer in silence?

 

There has to be a way to increase your comfort level, so that you can focus on cheering instead of how uncomfortable you are.  Fortunately Beverly O’Shea in an article called “Be a Smarter Spectator,” written for Arthritis Today magazine (September/October 2010) came up with a few solutions.  She shared ideas for minimizing the discomfort of sitting on hard bleachers and for how to navigate crowded stadiums.

 

Sports are just more fun when you can watch them live, and of course Sonny’s little league game isn’t going to be shown on television anyway.  Still, I can remember sitting on cement poolside benches or bleachers for hours on end during daughters swimming days.  My cousin is an avid football fan and they not only drive in inclement weather, but put up with crowds and uncomfortable seating so that can cheer for their favorite professional team.  Maybe a few of these suggestions will keep her safe and comfortable.

 

• Bring your own gear and consider a portable stadium seat with a back or a cooler on wheels.
• If possible, get tickets or choose seating near an aisle or exit.
• Bring a friend who can assist you if necessary (bleachers don’t often have handrails).
• Be careful.  Be aware of your surroundings.  Food spills or food left on benches can be hazardous.
• Adjust seating for comfort.  Use a pillow or roll up a sweat shirt to sit on so that your hips bend at a 90 degree angle and your knees should also bend at a 90 degree angle.
• Football fans are out there rain or shine or even snow so be sure to take umbrellas, hand warmers, and even some cozy rugs/throws to snuggle under.

 

Tailgate parties are fun and more comfortable than trying to balance food and beverages while watching a game.  If attending an amateur event arrive early and take your own seating.  Being an avid fan is a great way to bond with your junior athletes but it should be fun for everyone.

 

 

Comments

[Ed Gagnon]

I Am Old

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Aging and death is inevitable – how we feel about aging and death is not. We have the ability to make our final years our best and most meaningful years. It is a matter of choice – a matter of common sense.

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