Video games aren’t just for kids anymore. Seniors across Canada are discovering the joys of Wii Games as a way to stay active, exercise their brains, and connect with their grandkids.
The Nintendo Wii has broken down barriers in the video game world, creating games where physical exercise plays a more important role than ever. Learn about some of the unconventional benefits of Wii Gaming below.
#1 Wii Games Promote Physical Exercise
Video games over the decades have developed a reputation for promoting sedentary lives. While some games do seem to encourage people to spend hours sitting in one place, a new generation of games have put physical exercise front and centre. The Nintendo Wii offers everyone, youth and seniors alike, an enjoyable way to become more active and healthier.
The Nintendo Wii makes a number of sports and exercise-based games available that actually involve moving the body. Games like Wii Golf and Wii Bowling offer the experience of those games right at home, which can help seniors with mobility issues enjoy favourite past times or explore new ones.
Physical exercise is an important part of elderly home care centres across the country, and Wii games are a great way to promote it.
#2 Video Games Can Help Cognitive Functions
Mental exercise can be just as important for older seniors. Video games can help train the brain and some studies suggest there may be evidence that they can reduce the risk of developing dementia.
A study performed at the University of Montreal looked at how three-dimensional gaming platforms promoted growth in the areas of the brain in older folks. The results showed that 3D video games improved the memory and could potentially help prevent Alzheimer’s. It was a small study, but the results were compelling.
Video games today involve complex problem solving, puzzles, and multi-tasking. They require concentration and can have a calming effect. Complex strategy games are also highly effective at improving cognition and memory, as they require juggling multiple tasks and goals at once.
#3 Video Games Are Social
One of the best parts of playing video games like Wii Bowling or Wii Golf is that they’re social and competitive. At All Seniors Care Living Centres, we run social events all day and evening that are free for anyone to join, including residents and their visitors.
If you have a loved one staying at one of our retirement residences, you may know that your kids aren’t always the most excited to go and see their grandparents. But both seniors and kids alike can bond over Wii games that are active and fun. The latest generation of video games have become an incredible tool for promoting cross-generational bonds.
Wii Games are just one of the amenities you can find at our retirement homes and living centres in Ontario and across the country. Retirement residences also feature pools for exercise programs like aqua fit, yoga rooms, and more.
Anyone thinking about making a move to a retirement residence should call us to learn more about our retirement homes and communities. Retirement residences should offer plenty of exercise and relaxation amenities, as well as games both classic and contemporary. From billiards to a Nintendo Wii, you can find it all at our retirement residences.