Residents and staff at TriCare Mt Gravatt Retirement Community recently enjoyed a morning of kite flying, testing their fitness and aero-dynamic skills.
There were a variety of kites in the skies including a competition kite and numerous kites made and decorated by staff and residents during one of their recent colour calming sessions.
TriCare Mt Gravatt Retirement Community’s Environmental Services team started a Colour Calming program a number of years ago and now over 20 residents meet twice a month for an hour or so to colour in intricate lines and pictures.
While colouring-in has been enjoyed by children for centuries, it became popular for adults more recently as a form of relaxation and mindfulness.
Village Manager, Tammy Watt said that although it was a beautiful sunny day, it was not perfect kite flying conditions!
“The wind was limited and we had to persevere to get the kites above tree level.”
Regardless of this, everyone had fun and there were lots of laughs throughout the morning.”
Interestingly, there are many health benefits to kite flying including mindfulness, exercise, socialisation, eye stimulation and of course providing a connection to nature as an outdoor activity.
“It was very much a team effort with resident Brian Matthews holding the kites at the ready and winding up excess string to make it easier for everyone.
Joy Toohey and Josef Hoffmann went to great lengths running with the kites to launch them but with minimal success.
Not to be defeated, staff and residents packed up their kites for another, perhaps windier day.
