Gettin’ your game on, granny-style

Who says your too old for video games? Not the residents of Morningside assisted living community in Hopkinsville, KY (USA). They enjoy getting up in the morning to join their fellow seniors in a nice frame of Wii Bowling . They even create their own Mii avatars to personalize their experience.

Some choose to bowl the traditional way, swinging the WiiMote to knock over as many pins as they can. One particular lady, Shirley Woodward, decided to stay seated and try out the game “granny-style.” Either way they play it, they are having fun doing something they might not be able to do in real life.

What could be a better use of Wii Sports than this? The game involves very little movement and hardly any effort, so it’s great for a senior who may not be as mobile as they once were. Also it’s realistic swinging and movements gives the player the feeling of playing a real frame of bowling or a real tennis match.

When you live in an assisted living community, there is not much opportunity to get out and enjoy playing sports, plus a lot of occupants are rather frail and wouldn’t be able to play a real game of tennis or golf. Wii Sports has giving these seniors a chance to have fun again, and remember what fun it was to stand in a bowling alley and throw a ball at some pins.

They can also play with their grandkids when they come in to visit. The children love being able to play a game with their grandparents, and the grandparents love actually having a fighting chance against their much younger counterparts.

Not only is this a fun experience for the seniors, but it is also great exercise. With each swing of the Wiimote, and each step around the lane (or field) they are working out their bodies and developing a great sense of hand eye coordination.

So what’s next in store for the residents of Hopkinsville, Kentucky? Perhaps they will discover their love for fly fishing? Or stock car racing? At least they won’t have to leave the convenience of their own wheelchairs.

Read [Kentucky.com] Also Read [Atria Senior living news]