The Wii is coming to the end of its life, set to be replaced by the Wii U very shortly. But this old warhorse of a console shouldn’t be put out to pasture just yet, because it could be the perfect gift for an elderly relative.
This is because playing Wii has been found to be good for old people. There has been various pieces of research suggesting as much from the day the Wii launched, and the latest (via GamePolitics) backs that up further.
It comes courtesy of the Centre for Ageing Research and Development (CARDI) based in Ireland. The research suggests that elderly people who play on Wii games using the Wii Balance Board enjoyed better balance control. This should lead to fewer falls and fewer injuries being sustained.
Professor Cathy Craig, who headed the research, stated:
“Improving balance and gait can play an important role in helping older people avoid falls and injury as well as improving their mobility confidence. The games designed in this project to build better balance were formulated with older people in mind. Older people who played the games enjoyed an improvement in both static and dynamic balance.”
So there you have it. When your elderly relatives come to visit over the holiday season gently persuade them to try playing on the Wii. It’s for their own good, after all. And if they enjoy it then it’s a bonus.
