A new generation of football supporters

As this year’s men’s Australian rules finals series comes to a close, we look forward to continuing our ‘footy fix’ with the women’s leagues.

The game has changed significantly over the past thirty years, since the Crows and then the Power joined the national competition. An entire generation of supporters never had the privilege of seeing the SANFL at its peak.

In fact, two thirds of the South Australian population were not even alive when Fos William’s Port Adelaide battled Jack Oatey’s Sturt in the epic Grand Finals of the mid to late 1960s.

Since that time, Adelaide’s population has doubled and the majority of supporters watch games at Adelaide Oval or on television. Supporters are spread across metropolitan and regional South Australia, with less of a focus on the traditional geographic rivalries of the past.

Older generations remember a time when they barracked for their local SANFL team, often within walking distance from their own homes.

It was a time when they may have also walked to the local delicatessen or greengrocer to do the weekly shopping. These days it is far more convenient to jump in the car, for even the shortest distances, and very few ‘delis’ remain.

The game may have changed significantly over time, but the footy still provides a wonderful opportunity for multiple generations to spend time together, perhaps enjoying the walk across the Riverbank Bridge.

Staying active as we age is vital in staying healthy.

Benefits of staying active and healthy include increasing wellbeing and participation, recovering from illness more quickly, reducing the risk of chronic disease, and preventing falls.

Aged care organisations provide a variety of activities and services to assist older people maintain their health and wellbeing. These range from allied health services, exercise classes, walking and social groups.

Such services are critical in ensuring the ongoing health and wellbeing of individuals as they age. So, it is very disappointing that no allowance for allied health and lifestyle activities has been made in the government’s new care minute targets to be introduced into residential aged care homes from 1 October 2022.

Seems they’ve dropped the ball by not having a greater focus on these very important services in the recent change to aged care funding.

Opinion piece by Darren Birbeck,
Chief Executive Officer,
Resthaven Incorporated