By Melissa Wynn
As the baby boomers are entering their golden years, the number of households including both grandparents and teenagers is on the rise. Those of us in the middle of these two generations often find ourselves worried that the kids spend too much time with their video games and that our parents aren’t getting enough physical and mental stimulation. According to an article in the Armchair Empire, a gaming magazine, it turns out that the Nintendo Wii can broaden our horizons. Senior communities across the country are buying these interactive video games to host bowling, tennis and other tournaments, and they are having amazing turnouts. Even if your at home seniors are wheelchair bound, as long as they can work the t.v. remote sized paddle, they can bowl, play tennis, be in a boxing match, play golf or participate in a wide variety of other activities. It’s much more fun than routine physical therapy exercises and incorporating your teenager to help them get familiar with the new-fangled thing is a great way link the two generations on common ground. Nintendo Wii also has puzzles and fishing games that are great for mental stimulation and give the grandparents a forum where they can still participate in a favorite sport and really have some fun with teenagers and other family members.
There is such a wide spectrum of game choices it is very easy to select a game for everyone that will keep each individual interested and give everyone a chance to be the champ and shine. We have all heard that if you don’t use it you will lose it, and I can’t think of a better way to keep all the generations using their bodies and minds than to get together for some great fun everyone can enjoy. The family that plays together stays together so encourage your teenagers to teach their grandparents to Wii. Let’s fish with Grandpa in the living room and get Grandma bowling like she used to, while engaging our teens in their kind of play.
Source: www.aarp.or
