Nintendo Wiis: a Surprise HIT for Seniors!

Nintendo's Wii a surprise hit with seniors
By: Christian Science Monitor

Video-game versions of bowling, boxing or tennis can offer an adrenaline rush that older players haven't experienced in years.

Six seniors at the Sedgebrook retirement community gathered in the lounge after dinner last year as the holiday season was getting under way. The center's residents were an unlikely test audience for the season's hottest toys. The plan: determine which toys their grandchildren might like.

The assumption was that they'd give their grandchildren the toys they approved. But it didn't quite turn out that way. The Nintendo Wii was so popular that the residents clamored for their own.

Today, each of the Erickson chain's retirement communities, including Sedgebrook, outside Chicago, owns at least one Wii.

Other retirement communities and municipal senior centers in recent months have followed, many using wellness grants and public funds to pay for the video-game system. The Wii retails for about $250.

Proponents say the Wii offers a welcome reprieve from a sedentary lifestyle and boosts hand-eye coordination among the over-60 set in a way that bingo and mah-jongg can't.
But it can be a challenge to get residents comfortable with the video games. Many retirement communities 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 movable privacy screen.

Grow your Resources....

As spring quickly approaches I wanted to pass on a gardening resource you may want to check out:

"Gardening with Kids"
www.KidsGardeningStore.com

Affliated with the National Gardening Association

Great resources which include: program ideas, tools, gardening games, RAISED BEDS, and much more!!

2008 is here!

Happy New Year to all of you!

I can hardly believe that 2008 is upon us; it seems like just yesterday that I was writing the year 2005. I am grateful for the opportunities I had to meet many of you during 2007, and I look forward to continuing to visit and spend some time with the rest of you at some point over the course of this year.

We are into our second year of utilizing the Blog as a way to share best practices, program ideas, questions, etc. Please keep the great information and PICTURES coming my way and I will do my best to get them posted in a timely manner.

AND…I would like to encourage all of you to post on the Blog at some point in 2008. The process to “post” is very simple….if you can email you can post!~ Just let me know when you are interested and I will take you through the simple steps.

Familiar words to ponder this year…

“Think outside of the box” in 2008!

Sincerely,
Katie

Areas of Interest in 2008

Below is a list of topics that will be "areas of focus in 2008." If you have a particular area of interest please let me know as I would gladly include you in the research process. OR if you have an area you would like to add please let me know as well.

1) Volunteer Recruitment and Rentention
-revised Volunteer Orientation Packet to be sent to activity teams in January 2008
2) Cognitive Fitness
-2 products already researched, 1 remaining for January/February
3) Arts and Dementia
-researched the "Meet me at MoMA's" (Museum on Modern Art in New York) current
program
- meet with Minneapolis Institute of Art and Walker Art Center to investigate developing
pilot of similiar program
4) Recreational Therapy Reimbursement
-follow up on bill prepared for Congress in November of 2007

Hats of to our Activity Teams...

National Activity Professionals' Week January 19th-24th, 2003


Sunday, January 19th through Saturday, January 24th, 2003 will celebrate a special week for a very special group of people,the nation's Activity PRofessionals. These are dedicated women and men who help to enrich the daily lives of older adults in long term care facilities, retirement homes, day programs and senior centers.

Activity Professionals provide a variety of programming related to community involvement, mental stimulation, community service, physical well being and all types of activities to maintain normal life pursuits for the elderly. Evry activity is designed to meet the needs of the individual.
January 19th-24th, 2003 is National Activity Professionals' Week: a week intended to make the public more aware of the commitment of these important health care professionals to serveing the needs of senior citizens.

For more informaton on how you can assist the Activity Professionals in your neighborhood, contact the activity staff member in your local nursing fcility, retirement community, day program, assisted living or senior center.

(taken from a press release)

Your Fellow Activity Directors...

Activity Director List

Westchester Gardens- Maureen Cook
Summer Hill- Angela Robinson
Royal Palms- Dee Ragan
Miramont Pointe- Shelly Barley
Timber Pines- Cheryl Paro
Regal Palms- Tara Lanzer
Regal Palms- Tammy Dunlap
Alamitos HCC- Charlene Gatlin
Chandler Place-Kristin Bock
Commons on Marice- Anna Steffel
West Hills Village -Holli Wronski
St. Anthony Health Care-Kristin Enger
Sabal Palms -Arlene Yali
Arizona Grand -Joanna Duran
Cypress Palms -Stephanie Reimund
Terracina Grand- Sandy Smiertka
Monte Vista -Cindy Muehlman (email ed Maria Shetler)
Inn on Westport -Cherilyn Dystrka
Old Main Village -Rica Giersdorf
Westpark Village -Kathy Shannon
The Peaks -Julie Beauregard
West Hills Health -Sue Cole
Katella Manor- Heather Argueta
Hillside Health Care -Courtney Richards
Valley View Estates -Estates Linda Lachman (ext. 122)
Riverside -Tammy Block
Valley Health Care -Amanda Dittmer
Village Senior- Katie Knudsen
Billings Health and Rehab -Doug Mahugh
Village Health Care- Cora Hopcroft