The thrills of having a geriatric pet

Throwing the ball:
The older dog doesn't exactly stop on a dime any more. When we throw the ball for our dog, she runs (well sort of a run) and as she gets to the ball, her legs simply fold under her body and she falls on the ball.

Retrieving the thrown-but-now-lost ball:
The older dog often has limited or decreased vision, so following up on the command of "get the ball" often is painful to watch in the older dog. Our dog mostly tries the 'circle around' approach - circle around the yard with a slightly bewildered look on her face, while we stand around and yell get the ball, get the ball, get the ball...all to no avail. (I'm sure this is quite entertaining to someone).