PROFESSIONALS BEHIND THE SCENES

By Adele van der Linde

• Active Participation of Older Persons: The National Active Ageing Programme, dubbed the Golden Games, witnesses robust involvement from resilient older individuals in sporting activities at Hoerskool Nelspruit in Mpumalanga, with professional medical support on hand to address minor ailments and stiff muscles.
• Dedicated Medical Team: Physiotherapist Blantina Senamadi from Matlala Hospital in Limpopo Province attends the Golden Games to provide professional treatment to participants, drawing on her experience from previous years to ensure the well-being of competitors.
• Promoting Healthy Aging: Blantina emphasizes the importance of staying active in one’s golden years, noting fewer chronic health conditions among active senior citizens and advocating for longevity, productivity, and overall health in older age.

Our resilient older persons don’t hold back when it comes to participating in sporting activities and with the National Active Ageing Programme in full swing at Hoerskool Nelspruit in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, our professional medical team is already tending to minor ailments and stiff muscles. Spotted at the sports fields on day one of the Active Ageing Programme, also known as the Golden Games, is physiotherapist Blantina Senamadi from Matlala Hospital in the Limpopo Province. She is no stranger to the Golden Games, having selflessly given her time in previous years, to ensure that participants are given professional treatment while competing in the Games.

“I don’t see many injuries during the Games and my treatments are more for chronic conditions and returning injuries”, says Blantina. She is also convinced that longevity, productive lives and healthy bodies abound among those senior citizens that remain active even in their golden years: “We definitely see fewer chronic health conditions among active senior citizens.”