Tennis Balls Used to Assist Seniors in Minnesota

One Minnesota high school tennis player's chance find of spare tennis balls at the end of the season has turned into a large-scale collection of unused balls to assist older adults in the state, reports Tennis World USA . Max Fesenmaier took the spare tennis balls to his mother, who offered them to her bosses at a long-term care pharmacy that helps assisted living and retirement communities in Minnesota. That simple action has resulted in the collection of more than 4,000 tennis balls that older adults use on their walkers. Care homes and retirement communities have said that the collection effort makes it easier on them to provide top-line physical care without breaking the bank and regularly buying new tennis balls. "We have residents that walk independently and they put on miles a day. It brings our residents enjoyment to be mobile with their walkers," said Sara McCormick, a worker at a health care center. Some senior communities have made use of the tennis balls beyond walkers, incorporating them into their exercise programs.