Golfers with Alzheimer’s: This Really Is a Game for Life!

Once a week for much of the past year, a small group of students has gathered on the putting green at Deep Cliff Golf Course in Cupertino, Calif. to work under the direction of teaching professional Gerry Benton.

It may sound like a typical golf facility scene, but it’s far from it.  These students have Alzheimer’s disease and other memory-impairing conditions.  Their enthusiastic presence at Deep Cliff is part of a care program that seeks to stir long-term memories and keep the memory-impaired engaged rather than isolated.   In so doing, it gives new dimension to golf as a game for life.

            The golfers reside at Silverado Senior Living – Belmont Hills in Belmont, Calif., a memory care community.  While their memory impairments are severe enough that they cannot live on their own and generally require assistance with daily living activities, they’ve displayed notable skill with putting, Benton says.

            “I’ve been surprised by their ability to putt into the hole,” he said.  “I’ve been impressed by their aim.  While it’s clear that they have memory issues, it’s obvious it doesn’t affect their ability to hit a ball into a hole with a putter.”

            Benton has worked with several of the students on the driving range, but the sessions usually stay on the putting green.  He uses the same techniques with these golfers as he would with other students, such as creating alignment guides and setting up wickets to putt through on the way to the hole.

            The sessions at Deep Cliff Golf Course are the result of a chance meeting between Benton and Maryam Mahbod, director of resident engagement for Silverado Senior Living-Belmont Hills.  When she and Benton began talking, the two quickly decided to make outings to Deep Cliff a regular event for residents at Mahbod’s community.

            The first time the Silverado group arrived at Deep Cliff Golf Course, “I didn’t know what to expect,” Benton said.  “But I could see right away what a positive experience it was.”

            Among the regular participants is 88-year-old Glenn Peterman, who “has played golf off and on for 30 years,” says his son, Mike.  “Dad has been a casual golfer, but even though he hasn’t been a regular player, he absolutely loves golf.  He loves the social part of it, being outdoors and with other people.”

            For Glenn Peterman, “these outings have been fantastic,” his son said.  “He enjoys everything about them.”

            Silverado Senior Living – Belmont Hills is operated by San Juan Capistrano, Calif.-based Silverado Senior Living, which has 18 memory care communities in California, Arizona, Utah, and Texas.  Silverado also offers home care, care management, and hospice care through its Silverado At Home and Silverado Hospice service lines.  Nearly all of Silverado’s memory care communities offer golf-related activities, either through outings, play on putting greens on site, or Wii golf.

            The Silverado Senior Living community in Calabasas, Calif. is one of 10 Silverado communities with putting greens on their own property.

            “Our residents use it three or four times a week, weather permitting,” said Sandra Akers, director of resident engagement there.  “We’ll be out there for up to an hour and a half. We often play a best-out-of-three game.  It’s so much fun; we all high-five with the winners.”

            Akers says when residents step onto the putting green and stand over the ball, it’s clear that golfing skills learned earlier in life remain with them.

            “You can see how they adjust their stance and line.  It’s obvious that golf has been important to them.”

Golf is just one of an array of activities throughout Silverado designed to keep residents active and involved, physically and emotionally, with the world around them.

            “As memory disorder progresses and people lose the ability to do things that were once part of their lives, they begin to feel useless,” said Loren B. Shook, CEO and president of Silverado Senior Living.  “This feeling saps them emotionally, psychologically, and physically.  When residents take part in these golf activities and can make achievements like putting along a line or putting a ball into a hole, it provides a wonderful and energizing sense of accomplishment. You can see the joy on their faces.”

            Other activities throughout Silverado include swimming, woodworking, crafts, gardening, music, and much more. Many are designed around a “club” concept, in which residents participate with others who share their interests.  The communities are designed as “living environments” that are multigenerational and enriching.  Staff members are encouraged to bring their children with them to their workplace and an abundance of animals, from dogs to miniature horses, reside at Silverado. 

            In listening to Mike Peterman talk about his father Glenn’s weekly golf sessions, the positive impact of Silverado’s approach is clear.