At the Anna Quinquaud nursing home in Guéret, residents are hard at work. The retirement home participates in the project “The Tour scouts” since May 30 and until June 28. Residents, their loved ones and caregivers must travel 3,492 kilometers practicing on an indoor bike within their retirement home, i.e. the distance of the 2024 Tour de France. The “Les éclaireurs du Tour” program is organized by Ag2r la Mondiale and Resanté-Vous.
In the Creuse, four nursing homes are involved: Felletin, Ahun, Royère-de-Vassivière and Guéret. At Anna Quinquaud’s retirement home, residents take turns on bikes and follow sessions of 15 to 20 minutes. Maurice, 89 years old, is delighted to find a sporting activity again: “by pedaling like this, I improve my breathing. Since I’ve been cycling I feel like I’ve progressed, it’s easier for me“.
Right next door, Sylvie, another retiree, is participating in the program. This resident particularly appreciates these sporting moments: “we are in a group, there is an atmosphere, I like it a lot. I hadn’t ridden a bike since I was young, so I find it wonderful to be able to do it here.“. The seniors of the four Creuse retirement homes divide the distance to be covered. This represents 873 kilometers per establishment.
The occupational therapist at the Anna Quinquaud establishment, Lison Boureau, notes everyone’s performance. She notes that there is real enthusiasm for this sport: “it allows them to get out of the room, to meet other people, they talk a lot with each other. There is a gentleman for example who no longer walks and he rides a hand cycle, it makes him happy, it prevents him from having suicidal thoughts, for him it is extremely important“.
At the end of the program, donations will be made to the Institut Pasteur for research into Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases for each kilometer traveled.
Lucile Auconie
