On July 8th, Rittenhouse Senior Living of Portage used Video Game Day to encourage residents to stay active. Activities directors from the Rittenhouses of Portage and Valpo brought residents together for a Wii Bowling competition and to discuss the health benefits of video games.
The Portage Ritttenhouse has offered Wii Bowling lessons to its residents once every week. The sessions began when Cat Teso, Activities Director at Rittenhouse Senior Living of Portage, noticed that people were interested in the game but didn’t know how to play it, many of them sitting on the sidelines before finally joining the game.
“I think they feel good about themselves, getting used to something that’s different,” said Tuso.
Before the tournament began, Danny Gonzalez of St. Mary’s Medical Center and Ross Bunchek of the Portage Township YMCA gave a presentation on the advantage of playing Wii.
Although Wii Bowling is not a substitution for regular physical activities, it can provide a gateway into a higher level of physical exercise.
“The mentality has been if you’re limited you need to limit yourself instead of pushing forward,” Bunchek said.
Engaging in even a low level of exercise can help senior citizens prevent life-threatening conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and some types of cancer.
“With limited mobility, something like [the Wii] can be used to improve the quality of life,” Bunchek said. “Small changes can mean a big difference.”
After the presenters finished speaking, the Valpo players showed up and the teams, the Portage Rockin’ Roll Stars and Valpo Lickety Splits, battled it out for the traveling trophy.
If they receive positive feedback from the residents, Rittenhouse hopes to make the tournament annual.
Click here for more photos from the event!