Games are great people movers in Valley nursing homes

BY LAWRENCE POWELL

Annapolis County Spectator

“Go, Lucy! Show them how it’s done!”

That was just one of many shouts as a couple of dozen avid bowlers took part in a Wii tournament in Annapolis Royal October 23.

Lucy Scott-Bonese paired up against Dorthy Frost and the competition has onlookers on the edge of their seats as the two toss the ball using the Wii controller. Results come up on one of two big-screen TVs.

In another part of the room, two of the guys are pitted against each other, their focus and concentration obvious as they throw for strikes and spares.

The average age of the competitors: 85. The oldest was 94.

The tournament was hosted by Annapolis Royal Nursing Home and was organized by Anne Underhill, in charge of the exercise and physical movement programs there.

While the nursing home has a full and fun activity program, Underhill says they were looking for new ideas for their elderly residents that would get them moving - without realizing they were exercising. Wii, the popular Nintendo movement-oriented computer video game, fit the bill.

The Wii sports package includes archery, golf and table tennis; giving players a variety of challenges and providing a range of motions.

On tournament day, residents from Northhills Nursing Home in Granville Ferry and Tideview Terrace in Digby converged on Annapolis Royal, where the players - many in wheelchairs - proved they had joined the electronic age.

“Nice ball,” someone shouts, as Hilda Naugler of Northhills sends one down the middle of the alley.

Health benefits

“It’s kind of neat, isn’t it?” says ARNH physiotherapist Carolyn Sanford.

She’s seen the health benefits of Wii over the past year, as nursing home residents took up the game.

She says movement is the biggest plus for residents who play the sports version of Wii. They’re moving their arms, joints and muscles. These are people usually very sedentary.

It also gives them trunk control as they lean forward and to the side – plus muscle control. It promotes good posture as well.

And, she says, it’s fun.

“There’s the whole social thing and meeting new people,” she says.

Sanford says Wii provides a level playing field for participants. It’s not gender specific, so men and women can compete equally. A man who has suffered from a stroke can take part.

She says Underhill is a part-time physiotherapist assistant and part-time recreational staffer at ARNH.

“She brought the two together,” Sanford says. “Wii is more recreation, but I definitely agree with it. It’s a good idea.”

André Bouchard, Annapolis County’s active living facilitator, had high praise for Wii as an activity for seniors. His Club 400 Winter Active Team has the Nintendo game in its bag of tricks and will set it up in community halls around the county on bad weather days when outside activities aren’t possible. He has mixed feelings about Wii when it comes to children: they spend enough time in front of the video screen already.

Lots of fun

Underhill says ARNH started Wii about a year ago, fundraising to buy the equipment, with Walmart throwing in a good discount. When the idea of a tournament surfaced, Lawtons supplied the ARNH team with T-shirts. They’re now known as The Pinheads, and wear their monikered shirts proudly.

She says residents were very receptive to Wii and trying new things - even though video games are something they thought were for kids.

“They’re learning it,” Underhill says.

She said some residents even play Mario Kart.

“It’s hilarious,” she says. “They say they’ve never had an accident in their lives and now they’re running over cows.”

“I like the bowling very much,” says Evelyn Mossey who took part in the tournament, “but we didn’t stand a chance.”

In the evenings, Mossey can be found in front of the television bowling with Clifford Ramsey.

Vivian Lightfoot says Wii is a lot of fun; as for the tournament, she was wonderfully happy to get two spares.

“I really wanted a strike, but it wasn’t meant to be.”