WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-The Games Seniors Play
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Burlington, Vermont - March 9, 2009
On a snowy day, the Champlain Senior Center is the place for a hot competition. Last year, the center got a Nintendo Wii. Board member Marcia Mason explains, "It's been an instant hit right away!"
The system's wireless controllers let players use several games including bowling. Staff and medical advisors say the Wii gives seniors gentle exercise and keeps hand-eye coordination sharp.
Player Bob Fountain says, "Anything that makes your hand and eye go makes your mind work, too, and that's good for everybody!"
Champlain College's Ann DeMarle adds, "It's accessible for any age. It isn't really complicated."
DeMarle heads Champlain College's video game development program. She says the industry recognized years ago that gaming is not just for teenage boys. While they go for battling games, other market niches prefer puzzles or brain teasers. In the case of seniors, sports remind them of their younger days.
DeMarle says, "A bowling ball can be quite heavy for someone whose shoulders have gone bad. You can get this range of motion that isn't inhibited by the ball any more. You just have the light remote in your hand."
Marcia Mason chuckles, "I haven't bowled since my 20s or teens!"
Mason says more than playing, the Wii's all about socializing. Players really seem to get a kick out of teaching their video game knowledge to friends and visiting reporters. With their pointers, I picked up a spare.
So watch out grandkids, your grandparents may just be vying for your game controllers.
The Champlain Senior Center is saving money from its fundraisers to invest in a new exercise game and controllers.
Jack Thurston - WCAX News
