Sports for the young and old

Sport moves and unites people. The health and social benefits of athletic activities apply to both people with and without disabilities and people of all ages. What are some available options and which of them are explicitly geared towards inclusion?

Kids want to move around, go wild and have fun – whether they live with a disability or not. Local sports programs usually provide many options but they are not ideal for everyone. Sometimes there is a lack of accessibility at sports facilities, while some sports clubs often also lack experience in accommodating people with disabilities. Meanwhile, the way children connect with each other is not an issue whatsoever. The project titled "SPORTundBILDUNGinklusiv – mittendrin statt außen vor! Eine Sport- und Bildungsinitiative zur Inklusion!" (English: Inclusive sports and education - being in the thick of it versus on the outside! A sports and education initiative for inclusion!) has tried to set up a network in the City and district of Rostock, Germany, to promote social inclusion through sports.

Facilitating participation and improving the quality of life: People with dementia benefit from athletic activities because sport helps to improve both physical as well emotional and mental health. It improves walking ability and gait performance but also memory and concentration for example. A pilot project in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) has now attempted to make this effect last with concerted group activities.