Nintendo Wii invading retirement homes

Nov. 30 11:57 AM by Lynxara

I don't think anyone who wants to write about games expects to end up covering the Christian Science Monitor, but that's life for you. Anyway, this severely mainstream publication sat down with both seniors and retirement home staff to talk about the unexpected popularity of the Nintendo Wii and its pack-in title, Wii Sports. (I totally agree that the best game is bowling.) Anyway, check behind the cut for a few choice links... just in case you're curious, but not sure you want the Christian Science Monitor website lurking around your history.

However, some find that when it comes to the Wii, which retails for about $250, money is less a problem than getting comfortable with the game. Many retirement communities that purchased the games are encouraging hesitant seniors with tournaments, trophies, and cash prizes. Some centers are placing their Wiis in high-traffic areas where seniors congregate, or for the bashful, behind a moveable [sic] privacy screen.
Twenty-four percent of Americans over age 50 played video games in 2007, up from 9 percent in 1999, according to the Entertainment Software Association.
Nintendo has been bolstering its senior-friendly image, partnering with retirement communities, including Erickson, which has received 15 free Wiis. At the October conference of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging in Orlando, Fla., Nintendo and Erickson had a booth with four plasma TVs and four lanes for bowling.