One of the hottest video games for youth and parents is also a big hit with the residents at Penick Village. As was apparent from the Penick Village booth at the recent convention in Winston-Salem, the residents are hooked on this game too. They have even organized Wii bowling teams with matching shirts and have begun coordinating Wii bowling tournaments with another continuing care retirement community.

“We decided to bring the game to the convention and have residents challenge the convention participants to a game at the Penick Village booth,” said Aaron Dye, Penick Village’s Life Enrichment Director. “We have found that the Wii is not only a great way to enrich lives, but a wonderful ice breaker. It provides the residents a common ground to reminisce. Wii also provides everyone, young and old, an opportunity to say, ‘Yes I can’ or ‘Yes I still can’ which reinforces their confidence and self-esteem.”

The residents were really pleased when Bishop Curry came by to play a game with them at the convention. They enjoyed interacting with all the convention participants and giving them a good taste of the fun that comes with retirement.

“The Wii has become a great activity at a lot of retirement communities,” stated Jeff Hutchins, Penick Village’s CEO. “Wii fits right in with our mission statement – it nurtures the body – by being interactive, it nurtures the mind by learning something new and connecting with today’s kid generation, and it nurtures the spirit – it is fun, people laugh and it nurtures the competitive spirit too!”

Penick Village’s Wii team will travel to Arbor Acres Retirement Community in Winston-Salem for a bowling tournament on February 12, 2009. Based on what we saw at the convention Arbor Acres has a real challenge in front of them!

For more information about Life Enrichment at Penick Village visit us at www.penickvillage.org or contact Aaron Dye, Life Enrichment Director at (910) 692-0344.

Picture Caption: Bishop Curry shared a memorable moment by playing Wii with Penick Village residents at their booth at the 193rd Convention.