Use of Wii™ with older adults: A potential new recreational therapy intervention to increase physical activity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5055/ajrt.2010.0022Keywords:
recreational therapy, Nintendo Wii™, virtual reality, intervention, older adults, physical activity, quality of life, self-efficacy theoryAbstract
Because of increases in life expectancy, there is a greater focus on enhancing and maintaining quality of life for older adults. One method to improve quality of life is to increase everyday physical activity, and a new approach to this is through virtual reality video games such as the Nintendo Wii™. This is a new tool for recreational therapists to use, and preliminary evidence from several trials supports the claim that Wii™ intervention is beneficial. This article will review the benefits of physical activity for older adults, the obstacles keeping older adults from physical activity, the framework of physical activity according to self-efficacy theory and principles, and will apply the self-efficacy theory to examine the Wii™ as an assistive tool for use as physical activity, as well as the resulting implications for recreational therapy practice and research.References
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