Care home Olympics gives Meadowlark resident new lease of life
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A FORMER serviceman has revealed that participation in a local care home's Olympic Games has given him a new lease of life.
Ian MacDonald (74) of Meadowlark Care Home was one of the challengers in the Renaissance Care Olympics a few weeks ago, re-kindling his love for exercise.
He said: "I loved cycling and hunting as a young man, so the Olympics were very good for helping me rediscover my passion for sport. I really liked the putting and have enjoyed keeping up with my walking too.
"I used to walk to the lounge and back, but now I’m able to walk round the garden, and even further afield."
Born in Tomatin near Inverness, Ian is the oldest of five, and a twin. His father worked on the railways and farmed his whole life, while his mother had her hands full as a busy housewife.
Ian left school aged 16 to work in a distillery as a malt man, before joining the army to later become a tank operator.
It was in this period of his life when he met his wife Elizabeth, a care assistant.
He said of his lifelong love: "I met her at a dance and we’ve been dancing ever since."
Ian had a number of jobs and travelled extensively.
He said: "I was stationed in West Germany for years, where my daughters Sarah and Wendy were born. I have many fond memories of my time there but we moved back home to Cawdor where I returned to my farming roots.
"I went on to work in a distillery with my twin brother Andrew, before becoming a lorry driver for McArthur Haulage. I’d been working as a lorry driver for about six years, when I was in a serious accident and hit my head badly. A passing lorry driver saved my life, if he hadn’t called the ambulance I wouldn’t be here today. I spent a whole year in hospital recovering."
Ian moved to Meadowlark in 2018.
He said: "The Olympics has been the biggest hit with residents yet, and it has improved my health and fitness ten-fold. I joke with the staff that I’m training to run away from them, due to my increased mobility and confidence.
"That’s worth more than a gold medal if you ask me."
