Wii for Wellness, as Well as Fun

Bill Ferrer hadn’t set foot in a bowling alley for years. But with the help of a video game remote control, Ferrer was not only rolling a ball but hitting a spare.

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When Sarah Neuman social worker Antoinette Mentor introduced Bill Ferrer to Nintendo Wii during the nursing home’s adult day program, it was the elder’s first time playing a video game. He liked it. “It was interesting; I’ll play again,” said Ferrer.

Not Just Fun and Games

The Wii enjoys growing popularity in nursing homes, assisted living facilities and rehabilitation programs across the nation. Rehab patients, for example, acquire the Wii habit while recovering, and want to continue playing when they return home.

“It gets people moving,” says Mentor of Wii, which requires players to use physical gestures like waving arms to control what happens on the video screen. “It improves balance and endurance and even helps with cognitive skills.”

Mentor saw Wii’s potential as a therapy tool while watching her kids playing the game. She ordered one for the Manhattan campus, where it was so successful that she decided to bring it Jewish Home Lifecare’s Westchester campus.

“It’s a new tool,” explains Elaine Healy, geriatric medicine specialist and medical director at Sarah Neuman. “For people who are disabled, it provides an opportunity to participate in activities that involve motor skill and hand eye coordination that would otherwise likely be impossible for them to achieve.”

The Wii bowling tournament has become a welcome regular addition to the adult day program at JHL’s Manhattan Campus.

Visit the Daily News to read more about Wii at Jewish Home Lifecare.