Horseshoes popularity soars with Springdale men
Thursday August 9, 2007 -- Deron Hamel
Since building a pitch for residents to play horseshoes in the yard at Springdale Country Manor, Scott Ladoucier says the men at the Peterborough long-term care home have taken a shine to the game.

Playing horseshoes is more than just an activity for the men to participate in, notes Ladoucier, a supportive measures specialist at the home. The game also fulfills physical, social, cognitive and emotional needs.

“It’s more than just something to keep them busy till supper,” says Ladoucier.

He adds that having the game available for the male residents has produced some remarkable results.

“Once they started playing they started socializing,” says Ladoucier. “I stood back and watched these fellows who had sat one table away from each other in the dining room and they’re actually introducing themselves to each other.”

Ladoucier adds the game also fosters good sportsmanship amongst the residents.

It’s not too hard to see the success the game has had with the home’s men, who Ladoucier admits are difficult to involve in activities.

“The look on their face of self-accomplishment, it’s like ‘Hey, I’ve still got something that I can do,’” he says.

Until the horseshoe pitch was built, Ann Dillon, the home’s life enrichment co-ordinator, says getting the men to participate in activities was a futile task.

“They don’t want to do anything,” she says. “We have a pool table and there might be one guy that will come and shoot pool, the others don’t want to do that. I have a golf-putting (machine) which returns the ball to you, they don’t want to do that.”

Ladoucier got the idea to build the pitch last autumn. With the help of his father, the pitch was completed in spring.

While the pitch was being built, one resident watched eagerly as Ladoucier and his dad worked. The resident was looking forward to playing the game, so Ladoucier promised him he could throw the first horseshoe once it was finished.

Sadly, the resident passed away before the pitch opened.

“What we did was the first time we used it, I had his widow come out,” says Ladoucier.