(WTNH) _ Staying active can be a challenge for aging people whose bodies may not work like they used to. But these days, more and more seniors are turning to video games -- to challenge their bodies and minds.
Who says video games are just for kids? Don't tell that to Helen Bower. She's become a real pro at 'bowling' on the Wii Video Game System -- and says it's a lot like the real thing.
"I actually thought I was in a bowling alley, holding a bowling ball," Bower, of Woodbridge, said. "And, when I got upstairs, my wrist even ached a little bit."
Bower is one of a growing number of residents at Coachman Square -- an assisted living center at Woodbridge -- learning how to use the Wii. "Oh, it's a great game," she said.
"People are realizing 'I can try something new' -- and it's moving them more than they've probably moved all day," Joan Cramer, an Occupational Therapist, said.
"You don't have to hit buttons on this game," Cramer said.
Malcom Webber, 91, is playing baseball on the Wii Nintendo system. And he's already having beginner's luck as a pitcher -- having struck two batters out.
"I couldn't do that well when I was a kid and used to pitch once and awhile," Webber, of Woodbridge, said.
Webber calls the game 'very practical' for older people -- it keeps them moving. For example, he and his wife used to play a lot of tennis. "So we've advanced from the real tennis courts -- to the tennis courts here," Rae Webber, of Woodbridge, said in reference to the Wii Nintendo game.
The game is something new and different -- a challenge for both mind and body. "I've tried to urge some of the other people who say -- 'No I can't do it' -- you can," Bower said.
After all, Bower never pictured herself as a video game player, but she is -- and she's pretty good.
The residents at Coachman Square are very busy practicing for a video game tournament in April. The tournament will feature the grandparents challenging their children and grandchildren.
