Robot “Ping” joins aged care team

Wontama Uniting Aged Care in Orange has a welcome new resident thanks to a heart-warming initiative by caring locals.

The new resident is a table-tennis robot they have named “Ping”, donated thanks to Shin Nakazawa and Ashcroft’s Let’s Make Better Charity.

Many people, when they reach the twilight years of their life, turn to aged care facilities like Wontama to care for them. Part of that care is to provide a constant stream of entertainment and activities for residents to enjoy.

Also, physical and mental activity are known to help delay the onset of dementia, so any activities that provide this type of stimulation are held and encouraged in aged care facilities. That’s where “Ping” comes in.

“Ping” is a table tennis robot that enables people to simply stand and return balls at a level they are comfortable with, and they can do it alone. “Ping” is the perfect player for this.

Shin Nakazawa, a lifelong table tennis player and accredited coach, has been working with elderly people privately for some time, in his own facility, but has always felt aged care facilities would benefit greatly from having a permanent robot set up, one that could be accessed at any time by residents, and without needing a playing partner.

After gaining an enthusiastic response from Wontama for his idea, he approached the Ashcroft family with a proposal for them to consider funding a robot set-up at Wontama – and the Ashcrofts leaped at the idea, purchasing the robot through their Let’s Make Better charity that supports numerous local causes including Housing Plus, Riding for Disabled, and The Vinnies Food Van.

Shin will provide Wontama residents with occasional basic coaching clinics for interested residents and he is a big believer in the benefits of the sport.

“It’s a high-speed sport that’s good for the reflexes and fine-motor skills. It’s been found that, due to these attributes, it’s the best sport to prevent dementia and mental decline,” Shin said..

“Table tennis improves balance, thereby lowering the risk of falls – falls are a leading cause of death in the elderly.

"It’s an ideal sport for the elderly, it’s indoors, it’s cheap, you don’t have to move around too much, and it’s great for your well-being,” Shin concluded.