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New campuses coming soon in St. John and Elmhurst! |
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Sign up to receive a FREE email copy of our most recent newsletter! In each full-color issue you can read about seniors enjoying life and making a difference -- plus, you'll learn about upcoming events and opportunities. |
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Retirement means Weekly Wii time at Emerald MeadowsBowling on-screen took some getting used to, but residents love it!
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Grand Rapids, Mich. (Friday, November 16, 2007) – Today’s seniors aren’t satisfied with video games that exercise only their thumbs and wrists. So when Nintendo introduced Wii, a game that gets players physically involved in the game, it became one of the first video games to take off with older adults.
Emerald Meadows, an assisted living campus in Grand Rapids, saw the potential health benefits such a game could have. In September they purchased a Wii system for resident use. Matt Lytikainen, a local teenager who helps with yardwork at Emerald Meadows on a volunteer basis, helped set up the system and showed the residents how to use it. Jackie Hall, Emerald Meadows’ Lifestyle Coordinator, has taken over the teaching since then. Every Friday at 2:00pm is “Wii Time.” Residents gather to play virtual golf, tennis, baseball, or, most often, bowling. “Many of them bowled when they were younger,” says Jackie, “and Wii brings the experience back to them—they don’t have the strength in their hands to use a bowling ball, but they can handle the Wii. They find the Wii games a little tricky at first, but once you try it out and play, it is a lot of fun!” “We are hoping,” continues Jackie, “that residents will see measurable health benefits—increased mobility, better balance, weight loss, lower cholesterol—as a result of using the Wii. But in the meantime, they are simply having fun, and that’s healthy too.” Could the Wii also improve inter-generational relationships? Possibly. Esther Nabkey, a weekly Wii-player at Emerald Meadows, also plays Wii with her grandchildren whenever she visits at their home now. Emerald Meadows is located at 6117 Charlevoix Woods Court (right off of 28th Street, behind the Wal-Mart) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Call 616-954-2366 for more information. 
Esther Nabkey practices her Wii bowling each week at her home in Emerald Meadows Assisted Living Community in Grand Rapids, so when she visits at her grandchildren’s homes, she can challenge them!
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About Emerald Meadows Emerald Meadows is an assisted living community founded and supported by local churches committed to providing Christ-like care and service to seniors. For more information about Emerald Meadows, please visit www.resthaven.com. |
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Copyright © Rest Haven Christian Services
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