Games for a better life : effects of playing wii games on the well-being of seniors in a long-term care facility

In the current study, we examined the impact of playing Nintendo Wii games on the psychological and physical well-being of seniors in a long-term care facility. A six week-long intervention was held in SASCO Senior Citizens’ Home, a long-term care facility in Singapore. Forty five residents aged between 56 and 92 years old participated in the longitudinal field experiment. Results showed that playing Wii games had a positive impact on the overall well-being of the elderly, compared to a control group that played traditional board games. Implications for future applications of Wii in interventions for the elderly are discussed.Accepted versio