Sunday, March 17, 2013

Why Are Nursing Homes Buying the Nintendo Wii For Their Patients?


One of the many goals of a nursing home is to keep their patients as active as possible. It may not be possible for them to get out as much as they once did but they can still take part in many activities. It may surprise you to find out that many nursing homes are buying the Nintendo Wii for their patients.

This is due to the many interactive games they can play. For example the interactive bowling game allows even those in their wheelchairs to follow through the process of rolling an imaginary ball. Then they watch on the screen as the pins fall down. They can be seen being very competitive with each other and having a great time with the games.

Tennis is another interactive Nintendo Wii game that the older patients really seem to enjoy. Many of them will tell you stories about playing such sports in their youth as well. This can bring back wonderful memories that they may not have thought about for a while. Even if they have never played a real game of tennis in their life they are having a great time playing it now.

There is also golf and fishing which seem to be quite popular with the men at these nursing home facilities. In addition to them working their muscles, hand and eye coordination is continuing to take place. They also have a great time interacting with the staff and with each other. This type of fun and laugher can certainly help them to feel younger inside and out.

The market for the Nintendo Wii is amazing when you consider the range of people it appeals to. They younger generations are certainly interested in the many features and newer games it offers. Even very young children who are just learning about video games are able to enjoy a variety of games. Parents are playing many of the interactive games with their children. They love that everyone isn't just sitting around.

As you can see from some of the examples here, even the elderly are able to enjoy the various Nintendo Wii games. They allow them to regain some of their youth and vibrance. At the same time they get to have some fun on a level that they can relate to. They are even getting some low impact exercise that really makes them feel good.

As the benefits of these games for the elderly continue to be exposed, you can be sure more adult communities are going to start offering them. When you consider that the gaming console and these games can be purchased for less than $500 it is really a very good investment. In fact, some of the residents at these facilities are even asking for such activities to be offered for their entertainment.

Many doctors are even encouraging this type of activity for therapy. Tournaments for various types of games are becoming popular in these nursing homes as well. Even though these individuals are older, their spunk and their competitive nature is still there. They can have great fun trying to do better than their opponents. In the end though there is a lot of support and cheering going on in the background. This type of encouragement is really needed in such an environment.

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