Wii finds home in retirement communities, medical centers

WASHINGTON -- The Nintendo Wii is making inroads not only with non-traditional video game players but also in unlikely places.

At retirement communities, the Wii is transforming the social scene into a whole new game. At medical centers, the game system is being plugged into rehabilitation regimens.

An arts and crafts room at Riderwood Retirement Community in Silver Spring, Md., on a recent afternoon had the feel of a bowling alley.

"Some are embarrassed to try at first in front of people. They think they can't do it," says Earl Davis, 73, a resident and retired Marine, who showed newcomers how to use the Wii remote to bowl. "Sometimes I have to take their hand and play it with them. But once they get it, you can see the change in some people. They are more talkative and have a sense of humor. There's a lot of joking going on in here."

After Carol Fales, 63, shot a 198, she said, "I have progressed. I didn't think it could be done from a wheelchair."

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Use of the Wii in retirement communities nationwide, estimated at fewer than 100 sites so far, is growing, says Majd Alwan, director of the Center for Aging Technologies in Washington. "We are noticing that it has the potential to increase the socialization when used in groups or congregate living settings, both among peers and intergenerational."

All 21 Erickson retirement communities nationwide — Riderwood included — have at least one Wii. Riderwood has four, and several residents, including Davis, have bought their own. The residents are organizing a Wii bowling league, and a Wii Olympics is in the works for the summer, says Riderwood spokesman Dan Dunne. "It truly is reflective of an active retirement community lifestyle," he says.

Each of Leisure Care's 40-plus retirement communities has a Wii as well. Three days a week, Wii game sessions can be found on the social calendar, and personal trainers have incorporated Wii golf and tennis games into residents' workout plans, says Luke Frank, who directs Leisure Care's PrimeFit program.