Getting efficient exercise, both physically and mentally can be a challenge for some seniors who have disabilities, lack of physical assistance, or financial difficulties. Nintendo’s Wii Sports brings mental and physical exercising to seniors instead of seniors having to seek it outside their homes. It’s not just the kids playing video games these days. Retirement and nursing homes
and other senior assisted living facilities
, have opened their social hours to include Nintendo’s Wii for mental as well as physical activities.

Wii Makes Exercising Fun and Stimulating for Seniors
Now seniors can bowl, box, play tennis and golf right in their living room, what’s more is that they have to physically get involved. Seniors will find themselves standing up and swinging the virtual golf club, using the controller to wave their arms as they play tennis or sweep the air to bowl. It may not be overly straining, or cardiovascular, but the low-physical exertion and mental processes all help keep them and their brains active. Seniors can even participate in Wii Fit- purposely created to provide indoor-exercise.

Some Wii Fit “Games” For More Active Seniors

•    Aerobics
•    Balance Board
•    Strength Training
•    Yoga

Some of Wii Fit’s games may not be appropriate for all seniors but for more active seniors, some of the more cardiovascular games will prove great results. The more oxygen the brain receives, the better their mental health. That’s another reason why exercise is so important for physical and mental health. When people exercise, they take in more oxygen.

Some retirement homes are making the Wii apart of daily living because of its popularity and exercise/ stimulation benefits. One retirement home in Chicago has a daily Wii bowling tournament where they have set up a fan for seniors to dry their hands on before they have a turn. The social benefits of Wii are almost as important as the physical and mental stimulus. Isolation and loneliness can be a problem for many seniors, but a friendly game of tennis or golf can encourage a wealth of comments and friendly competition.

Instead of grandparents not being able to relate to their children’s video games, now grandchildren can teach them how to play! It may not be the same thing as taking grandchildren to the Zoo or outside to play catch, but at least grandparents can interact with their grandchildren on a new and fun level of this generation’s game playing, while keeping physically and mentally fit.