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by Silvana Tabares
On the second floor of the Center Home for the Hispanic Elderly, four men sat on one side of the room playing dominos quietly, but on the other side, seniors and staff looked on and cheered Alfonso Barrios and his opponent while the two played Wii, Nintendo’s video game console.
Barrios is a 68-year-old resident at the nursing home. He played baseball on the Wii, and tried to strikeout his opponent using the Wii remote, a wireless controller used to direct the player’s physical movements.“It helps me a lot participating in a sport or activity that involves movement”, Barrios said.
Alfonso Barrios gets some valuable exercise time by playing Nintendo's Will video game.
(Source: EXTRA: Abel Arciniega)
Many seniors are using the Wii technology as a form of therapy and recreation. The new trend is evolving in nursing homes across Chicago including the Center Home for the Hispanic Elderly. The video game console that features games such as bowling, golf and boxing, helps seniors maintain physical activity and regain their functionality and rehabilitation.
“It seems fantastic to me”, said Barrios who has been at the Center Home for one year. “It is accesible, if one takes on the commitment naturally.”
He said the Wii has helped him tremendously because it keeps him active.
“It has helped me a lot because before I use to have problems controlling my hands,” Barrios said.
Barrios, who is in a wheelchair, is paralyzed in his lower extremities and can’t walk due to an old injury. Other seniors who stand have more mobility.
In Barrios’ case, his ability to recuperate is limited but .
practicing the Wii has helped him regain mobility of his hands and maintain function of movements, said Oscar Ivan Zambrano, regional director of community relations for Care Centers, Inc.
“If they don’t move their hands then they lose their ability of moving them. The motions that they perform, assimilating the movements of the player in the game, makes them get those muscles active and regain functionality – sometimes even recuperating things they have lost – in terms of mobility and functionality,” Zambrano said.
This was Barrios’ second occasion playing the Wii and although he does other physical exercises at the nursing home, he finds the Wii both physically engaging and entertaining.
“The reception is very good because it’s something new,” Zambrano said. “It’s something that is fun and makes them remember activities that they used to enjoy a lot when they were functioning in their community.”
In México, Barrios was a caddy for three years and played sports such as boxing and soccer. He said playing the Wii is not difficult and understands the rules just by playing. He said he brings his experience and energy to the game.
Zambrano said there are few activities seniors are allowed to do because their health doesn’t allow them.
“A lot of them have limited mobility and if they can use something that is new without having to do a lot of movement and transportation to another site, it’s good for them and they can share that experience with others that are living in the same setting.”
(To finish reading "Seniors Turn to the Wii for Rehabilitation, click here)
