Otterbein SeniorLife had the unique opportunity to share their Otterbein Olympics story with the Tell Our Stories podcast, a platform dedicated to highlighting positive stories about the senior care experience across the country. This blog shares the conversation and provides a link for you to listen to the full podcast episode.
Listen to full episode: Otterbein Olympics >>
Otterbein Olympics Recap with Residents John and Jane From Otterbein St. Marys
The annual Otterbein Olympics launched in 2018 with participants from Otterbein SeniorLife communities across Ohio and in Indiana. Events ranged from volleyball and pickleball to fishing and Wii bowling. There’s something for everyone interested in joining the competitive and fun day.
Residents John and Jane from Otterbein St. Marys had never played shuffleboard or bocce ball before signing up for the Otterbein Olympic events, but enjoyed practicing ahead of the games and were thrilled with the results. “Fortunately, we did get the silver medal in bocce ball,” said John.
John and Jane shared several highlights of the day, including the opening ceremony featuring color-coordinated t-shirts representing each Otterbein community as well as a choir made up of residents from all locations. Community chefs set up booths showcasing their favorite dishes for a friendly competition.
“It was so fun, and we were just so happy to be here,” said Jane.
The closing ceremony was a special time to honor residents who medaled in each event. “At the closing ceremony, we all got together again, and they presented us with our medals,” said Jane. “The partners (employees) came together from all the Otterbein locations and provided a beautiful and wonderful day for all of us.”
John, Jane, and many others are already looking forward to next year’s games. “We will be practicing for that, and we’re looking forward to next year’s Olympics. It’s going to be here at Otterbein St. Marys, from what I understand,” said John.
Jane added, “I think there were about 600 people here, so it’s a huge event and just wonderful to be able to come together and have a wonderful time.”
Residents who don’t participate in the events can still join in on the excitement by cheering on their community and watching activities throughout the day. “Our son and daughter-in-law were here to watch us. We always went to watch their games growing up, and now this year they came to watch our games,” said Jane.
Watch the 2024 Otterbein Olympics recap video >>
Otterbein Olympics Recap with Resident Dave From Otterbein Lebanon
Otterbein Lebanon resident Dave also joined the podcast to share his experiences with the Otterbein Olympics. Dave, an experienced pickleball player from his time playing as a retiree in Florida, has been delighted to see the game as a permanent part of the campus.
“We’re not as competitive as we used to be, but we’re a heck of a lot more social,” said Dave. “I would say one of the biggest advantages of the Olympics and pickleball in general is you get to meet people you wouldn’t see or meet otherwise, and that’s what I’ve really enjoyed — especially meeting people from other campuses.”
Dave previously played in about 40 to 50 pickleball tournaments while living in Florida, but he appreciates his wins in the Otterbein Olympics. “I’m 81, and to play pickleball at any competitive level, whether it’s the Otterbein Olympics or just in the backyard in a neighborhood, at our age to do so is really a blessing, and I feel very fortunate.”
Discover the 2024 Taste of Otterbein in this video >>
Bringing it Home with Regional Marketing Director Molly Good
“2024 was our biggest year at the Otterbein SeniorLife Olympics with over 600 residents,” said Molly. “Not only did our life enrichment department get involved by spearheading the way the events were carried out, but we also got our culinary department involved with the Taste of Otterbein competition.”
Molly also shared how much planning goes into the Otterbein Olympics each year. “The Otterbein Olympics is a yearlong planning event. We start planning for the following year in September, right after the Olympics are over,” said Molly. “We start shooting promo material as soon as March and April to really get the residents and athletes involved and engaged early on.”
Unexpected outcomes of the special event are the friendships that have developed between residents from different communities over the years.
“For example, we might have some friends from Otterbein Marblehead up on the shores of Lake Erie who come to the event and see their friends from Otterbein Lebanon in the Cincinnati area,” said Molly. “To see those friendships compete and change year-over-year has been something really rewarding for the partners at Otterbein to experience.”
Check out Otterbein’s cheering club in this video >>
The family involvement is also something unique that the Otterbein Olympics encourages each year. “We have grandchildren who come to the games, great-grandchildren who come to the games, and this year my parents came to check out the Otterbein Olympics, which was really cool,” said Molly. “It’s a lot of fun to see family members surround the residents of Otterbein with a lot of love and to really broaden that cheering section as well.”
Lastly, Molly shared about the bold adventures that were incorporated into the Otterbein Olympics this year. “We had ziplining adventures and a fishing competition since we were on Grand Lake St. Marys, which is Ohio’s largest inland lake,” added Molly. “We also did rock climbing, so it was awesome to be able to see the residents do something they might not normally do and to experience a bold adventure.”
Listen to the Full Episode on the Otterbein Olympics
Hear the full episode from the Tell Our Stories podcast to learn more details about the annual Otterbein Olympics. Then, visit our website to discover senior living the way it was meant to be: full of opportunities and freedom, and connected to family and community at Otterbein SeniorLife >> https://otterbein.org/
