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Effects of Playing Wii on Well-Being in

the Elderly: Physical Activity, Loneliness,
and Mood
a a a
Patricia E. Kahlbaugh , Amanda J. Sperandio , Ashley L. Carlson
a
& Jerry Hauselt
a
Psychology Department , Southern Connecticut State University ,
New Haven, CT
Published online: 16 Dec 2011.

To cite this article: Patricia E. Kahlbaugh , Amanda J. Sperandio , Ashley L. Carlson & Jerry Hauselt
(2011) Effects of Playing Wii on Well-Being in the Elderly: Physical Activity, Loneliness, and Mood,
Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 35:4, 331-344, DOI: 10.1080/01924788.2011.625218

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 Activities, Adaptation & Aging, 35:331–344, 2011
Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 0192-4788 print/1544-4368 online
DOI: 10.1080/01924788.2011.625218

Effects of Playing Wii on Well-Being in the

Elderly: Physical Activity, Loneliness,
and Mood

PATRICIA E. KAHLBAUGH, AMANDA J. SPERANDIO,

ASHLEY L. CARLSON, and JERRY HAUSELT
Downloaded by [University of Massachusetts] at 22:58 21 August 2014

Psychology Department, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT

Effects of compensatory strategies offered by Wii technology on

physical activity, loneliness, and mood are investigated. Thirty-five
individuals ( M = 82 years) were randomly assigned to either
playing Wii or watching television with a partner for 10 weeks.
Physical activity, loneliness, mood, life satisfaction, and health
were assessed. The elderly playing Wii had lower loneliness and a
pattern of greater positive mood compared to the television group.
No differences in life satisfaction or physical activity were found,
but loneliness predicted positive mood, and positive mood predicted
physical activity. This investigation points to the benefits of using
Wii for well-being, particularly social connection and enjoyment.

KEYWORDS older adult recreation, well-being, loneliness, mood,

integrative game playing

Compared to previous generations, we are recipients of an improved health

care system aimed at promoting longer and more satisfying lives (Nugent,
2007). Of considerable interest is defining the meaning of successful aging
and maximizing the quality of life and well-being (Everard, Lach, Fisher, &
Baum, 2000; Knight & Ricciardelli, 2003; Phelan, Anderson, LaCroix, &
Larson, 2004; Thomas & Chambers, 1989).

Received 13 January 2011; accepted 14 August 2011.

Funding for this research was provided by a CSU grant awarded to the first author.
Special thanks are given to the residents of Silverbrook Estates, Stevens Woods, Oak View
and Woods’ Edge, and Village at Mariner’s Point for their participation. We appreciate the
research assistance of Lisa Bloom, Ashley Boland, Allison King, Jackie Fede, and Christina
Delucia.
Address correspondence to Patricia E. Kahlbaugh, Psychology Department, Southern
Connecticut State University, New Haven, CT 06515. E-mail: kahlbaughp1@southernct.edu

331
 332 P. E. Kahlbaugh et al.

Forty years ago, Cumming and Henry (1961) argued that successful
aging results from disengagement from social roles and activities and accep-
tance of functional restrictions. The disengagement perspective generated
much discussion and was countered by a theory of active engagement
(Lemon, Bengston, & Peterson, 1972; Rowe & Kahn, 1997), which affirms
the positive role of activity in supporting a sense of purpose or place via
role support. Active engagement leads to greater well-being and life satis-
faction. Conversely, a loss of activity, and a consequent decrease in a sense
of self and role support, leads to decreases in well-being, life satisfaction,
and even health (Everard et al., 2000; Glass, Mendes de Leon, Marottoli, &
Berkman, 1999; Langer & Rodin, 1976; Mathieu, 2008; Rowe & Kahn, 1997).
Current research has supported activity theory. Elderly individuals who
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maintain an active and engaged lifestyle are happier, have greater life satis-
faction, greater physical functioning, and live longer than those who do not
(Brown, McGuire, &Voelkl, 2008; Depp, Vahia, & Jeste, 2007; Fernández-
Ballesteros, 2005; Flood & Scharer, 2006; Glass et al., 1999; Grant, 2001;
Lawton, Moss, Winter, & Hoffman, 2002; Lemon et al., 1972; Menec, 2003;
Nied & Franklin, 2002). Engagement in enjoyed pursuits may also give
people confidence to face the challenges associated with aging (Pushkar,
Arbuckle, Conway, Chaikelson, & Magg, 1997). For example, Wolf et al.
(1996) conducted a 15-week intervention study on the benefits of tai chi
training for balance, and found significant improvements in leg motion and
decreased fears of falling for those engaged in the training.
The costs of unsuccessful aging are important on societal and individual
levels. Bossé, Aldwin, Leveson, and Ekerdt (1987) found increased levels of
depression, somatization, phobias, and obsessive/compulsive tendencies in
retirees compared to full-time workers, even when physical health factors
were statistically controlled. Depression, loneliness, death anxiety, loss of
loved ones, and loss of physical and cognitive function are examples of
poor outcomes associated with aging (Depp et al., 2007; Ledyard, 1999).
Physically healthy older people who are able to maintain levels of social
and physical activity report a greater sense of physical and emotional well-
being, which may delay further decline (Depp et al., 2007; Menec, 2003);
however, active engagement may be compromised for many elderly because
of physical and practical limitations (Baltes, 1997; Grant, 2001; Nied &
Franklin, 2002; Silverstein & Parker, 2002). When physical competence is
compromised, are there compensatory strategies that individuals may adopt
to help them maintain a desired level of activity? The importance of being
able to continue participating in activities that have been enjoyed should not
be underestimated (Mathieu, 2008). For some, incapacitation can represent
a serious threat to a sense of autonomy, usefulness, and control (Thomas &
Chambers, 1989).
People are more likely to engage in activities and leisure pursuits that
are enjoyable (Nied & Franklin, 2002), meaningful, and purposeful (Brown
 Effects of Wii on Well-Being in Elderly 333

et al., 2008; Rowe & Kahn, 1997). These activities may involve a social
network and provide opportunities to be playful (Vaillant, 2007), or may
be personal projects (e.g., travel, volunteering, etc.) that relate to positive
mood and valuation of life (Lawton et al., 2002). Approximately 90% of two
large population-based cohorts of people age 65 and older reported that
active engagement in life was one of the three major components of suc-
cessful aging (Phelan et al., 2004). Similarly, Knight and Ricciardelli (2003)
found that while good health is a primary consideration, keeping busy and
involved, having goals, having close relationships, and having a sense of
contentment are also important (see also Phelan et al., 2004). Unhappiness
with being older is often the result of restrictions. The challenge for the older
person is to adapt engagement to fit the level of functioning (Baltes, 1997)
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and interest.
Many older individuals experience changes in their physical competen-
cies so that the physical activities once enjoyed are now difficult or perceived
as risky (Grant, 2001). Importantly, Baltes (1997) suggests that a key task for
older individuals is to find ways to optimize their situations by using com-
pensatory strategies. According to Baltes (1997) and Menec (2003), how
these compensatory strategies relate to well-being requires further investiga-
tion. Importantly for the present study, these compensatory strategies may
include computerized technology.
Researchers have investigated video game play, and have argued for the
cognitive and physical benefits of this kind of stimulation (Drew & Waters,
1986; Goldstein et al., 1997). Specific case studies have found that using the
Wii increased fine-motor control in a patient following a cerebral vascular
accident (Drexler, 2009), and increased attention and positive affect in an
elder women with mild cognitive impairment (Weybright, Dattilo, & Rusch,
2010). Experimental research on the effects of embodied technology, such as
the Wii, has not been conducted. The Wii is considered an embodied tech-
nology because these video games capture the natural bodily experiences of
the physical activity (Ijsselsteijn, Nap, de Kort, & Poels, 2007). Unlike other
video games, while playing the Wii (e.g., bowling, golf or tennis) the player
actually moves his or her body in the same motions as would be required
in the real activity. Thus, playing the Wii has the potential for emotional sat-
isfaction and mastery. The Wii keeps track of successes as individuals gain
mastery in games such as bowling and tennis, so that individuals can com-
pete with their own record or with others. Socially, individuals can benefit
from interactions that form relationships based on a shared interest. Playing
the Wii could lead to greater social interaction, less loneliness, a sense of
accomplishment, and positive mood. It is reasonable to argue that a phys-
ical activity that mimics games previously enjoyed but no longer feasible,
such as those represented by the Wii embodied technology, would provide
similar or potentially greater benefits than other forms of physical activity,
such as walking or gardening. By playing the Wii, elderly individuals might
 334 P. E. Kahlbaugh et al.

become more interested in doing other activities because of renewed inter-

est in being active and in the positive feelings associated with reengaging in
a favored leisure activity.
Although elderly individuals are likely to rate television viewing as
their favorite activity, it is a relatively passive and isolating way to spend
time. Computer Internet usage is seen as intimidating and, consequently,
elderly individuals play digital games to a lesser degree than younger peo-
ple (Ijsselsteijn et al., 2007). Perceptual and motor declines offer challenges
for the elderly in making use of the computer, whether for Internet usage
or for leisure games (Goldstein et al., 1997); however, elderly individuals do
show interest in keeping up with technologies, especially when there are
perceived social and health benefits (Goldstein et al., 1997; Ijsselsteijn et al.,
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2007; McGuire, 1984).

Of research interest is to what extent engagement in computerized ver-
sions of leisure activities, such as those offered by the Wii technology,
contributes to emotional well-being in the elderly. It is hypothesized that
older individuals who play activity simulation Wii games of their choice
with a social partner for 1 hour a week will report increased physical activ-
ity, less loneliness, and greater positive mood compared to those who either
watch television with a social partner for 1 hour a week but do not play Wii,
or those who neither play Wii nor watch television with a partner. In addi-
tion, this study investigates relationships among physical activity, loneliness,
mood, life satisfaction, and health as they converge on the construct of
well-being.

METHOD
Participants
The participants in this study were 36 individuals, 4 males and 32 females,
from independent living residential apartments in New Haven County,
Connecticut, and were recruited through flyers posted in the residential facil-
ities as well as through informational sessions presented by the first author.
Although social programs were available at the apartments (e.g., crafts),
none of the participants were involved in any program that used the Wii or
video games when the study was conducted. The average age of the sample
was 82 (SD = 9.8) and was predominantly White, widowed, in generally
good health, and had at least a high school degree. One elderly female par-
ticipant in the television condition, age 86, died during the study period at
Week 4 and was excluded from all analyses.

Measures
The Weekly Physical Activity scale was adapted from Glass et al. (1999)
and measures participants’ weekly activity level. The level of involvement
 Effects of Wii on Well-Being in Elderly 335

in 14 activities throughout the week was determined. One, two, or three

points were given for “never,” “sometimes,” or “often” responses, respec-
tively. Weekly activity scores were obtained as well as an average activity
score across the 10-week period.
Loneliness was assessed using the UCLA Loneliness Scale, version 3,
developed by Russell and Cutrona (1988). This scale consists of 20-items
using a 4-point Likert scale (“Never,” “Rarely,” “Sometimes,” and “Always”).
Participants were asked to pick the answer that best described how they
felt at that time. Scores range from 20 to 80 with a higher score indicating
greater loneliness.
Emotional experience was assessed using the Positive and Negative
Affect Scale (PANAS), developed by Watson, Clark, and Tellegen (1988). This
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measure presents participants with a list of 20 emotion words, 10 positive

and 10 negative. Each emotion word was rated reflecting the intensity with
which the emotion was felt right now, using a 5-point scale. Positive and
negative emotion scores were obtained every week for 10 weeks. Average
positive mood and average negative mood across the 10-week period were
also calculated (Week 1 through Week 10).
The Life Satisfaction Scale, developed by Neugarten, Havighurst, and
Tobin (1961), is a 20-item scale composed of statements assessing partici-
pants’ satisfaction with their lives, to which they either agree or disagree.
Higher scores indicate greater life satisfaction.
The MOS 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), developed by
Ware and Sherbourne (1992), measures the overall physical and emotional
health of participants. A health quotient was created to handle missing data
(number answered/number answers possible), and the range of scores was
.39 to .94 with a higher score indicating better health. This instrument was
administered at pretest and posttest, and an average health quotient was
calculated.

Procedure
Twenty-eight participants were randomly assigned to either playing a Wii
game of their choice (everyone chose Wii bowling), or watching television
programs of their choice for 1 hour per week for 10 weeks with an under-
graduate female research assistant. Research assistants were assigned to visit
a participant either to play Wii or to watch television, and stayed with that
participant over the course of the 10-week period. The research assistants
were encouraged to be socially responsive to their partners. In addition,
resident directors recruited seven participants willing to serve as “no visit”
controls. These participants were not visited by an undergraduate student
and were included to control for any effects associated with being in a
research study that involved structured and regular visits from the commu-
nity, and thus served as a baseline. There were 16 Wii, 12 TV Controls,
and 7 No Visit Control participants. The Wii, TV Control, and No Visit
 336 P. E. Kahlbaugh et al.

Control groups completed all measures at Week 1 and Week 10. In addi-
tion, participants in the Wii and TV Control groups completed the PANAS
and the Weekly Physical Activity scale each week. Participants were paid $5
per session.
Note that if the TV Control group was not included and differences in
loneliness, mood, and physical activity were found between the Wii group
and the No Visit Control group, it would be impossible to determine whether
the differences were due to active participation in the Wii game or to a social
visit. Inclusion of the TV Control group allows for the separation of the social
effects associated with a weekly visit from a college student (which are
held constant for the television and the Wii groups), and the compensatory
effects of being able to actively play a game previously enjoyed. That is, this
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design allows for a comparison of passive versus active engagement while

controlling for the effects of social interaction.

RESULTS

The means and standard deviations for the entire sample for pretest and
posttest physical activity, loneliness, positive mood, negative mood, life
satisfaction, and health quotient are found in Table 1.
In order to determine the equivalence of the groups at pretest on rele-
vant dependent variables, separate univariate analyses of variance of groups
(Wii, TV Control, and No Visit Control) on the dependent variables of inter-
est (physical activity, loneliness, positive mood, negative mood, and life
satisfaction) at pretest were conducted. No significant differences among the
Wii, TV Control, and No Visit Control groups on these dependent variables
at pretest were found. In addition, there were no differences among groups
on age and average health quotient (see Table 2). Thus, the groups were
equal at pretest.
It was predicted that the individuals exposed to the Wii games would
report decreased loneliness from pretest to posttest, while such declines
would not be expected for the TV Control and the Control group. This

TABLE 1 Means (SD) for Entire Sample

Pretest Posttest

Physical activity 26.37 (4.7) 25 (4.7)

Loneliness 39.77 (9.1) 40.67 (11.8)
Positive mood 35 (7.3) 31 (7.7)
Negative mood 14.5 (7.8) 12.9 (4.4)
Life satisfaction 12.49 (3.8) 11.94 (4.4)
Health quotient .71 (.1) .69 (.1)
Notes: Average positive mood was 32.38 (6.18); average negative
mood was 13.74 (4.38); and average physical activity was 24.36 (3.17).
 Effects of Wii on Well-Being in Elderly 337

TABLE 2 Means (Standard Deviations) for Wii, TV and Control Group at Pretest

Wii TV Control

Physical activity 26.8 (4.5) 24.8 (4.9) 28.3 (4.3)

Loneliness 40 (9.0) 41 (9.2) 37 (10.0)
Positive mood 36.8 (7.3) 33.2 (7.3) 33.7 (7.2)
Negative mood 14.6 (8.6) 14.7 (8.8) 14 (4.0)
Life satisfaction 12 (3.8) 12 (4.0) 13 (3.7)
Age 85 (7.8) 78 (12.5) 84 (7.0)
Health quotient .77 (.11) .65 (.17) .72 (.11)
Note: No significant differences in group means on these variables at pretest.
UCLA Loneliness Scale

50
loneliness pre
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45 loneliness post
40
35
30
25
Wii TV Control

FIGURE 1 Group differences in pretest and posttest loneliness scores (color figure available
online).

hypothesis was tested using a 2 (pre vs. posttest) × 3 (group) repeated

measure ANOVA on the UCLA Loneliness scale. This analysis resulted in a
significant interaction, F(2, 30) = 6.24, p < .005, indicating that participants
in the Wii group had lower loneliness at posttest, while the TV Control group
had higher loneliness at posttest (see Figure 1).
It was also predicted that individuals playing the Wii games with a
social partner would have greater weekly physical activity, more positive
mood, and lower negative mood than TV Control groups. To test these
predictions, three repeated measure ANOVAs were conducted on physical
activity (Week 1 through Week 10), positive mood (Week 1 through Week
10), and on negative mood (Week 1 through Week 10) by group (Wii, vs. TV
Control Group). No group differences were found over the 10-week period
in reported physical activity, positive mood, or negative mood.
However, because these repeated measures spanned a 10-week interval,
we examined the cell means closely for patterns, and a meaningful pattern
was observed for positive mood. Specifically, for positive mood, for 9 out of
10 weeks, Wii participants reported higher positive mood than the television
participants. Using the Sign test (a plus indicating when Wii participants
had higher positive mood than television and a minus sign indicating when
Wii participants had lower positive mood than television), where chance
would be 5 out of 10, the probability of getting 9 out of 10 positive signs
is p = .0108 (r = 9, p = .0098 + r = 10, p = .0010). Wii participants were
 338 P. E. Kahlbaugh et al.

TABLE 3 Sign Test of Positive Mood in Wii and

Television Conditions

Positive Positive
Week mood: Wii mood: TV Sign

1 37.08 33.25 +
2 34.15 30.42 +
3 35.23 31.75 +
4 33.85 32.33 +
5 35.69 32.08 +
6 31.31 32.24 −
7 33.38 29.33 +
8 34.31 32.17 +
9 33.46 27.50 +
10 33.15 30.83 +
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38
36 Positive Mood -Wii
Positive Mood Scores

34 Positive Mood- TV
32
30
28
26
24
22
20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Week

FIGURE 2 Mean positive mood scores for week 1–10 for both Wii and TV control groups
(color figure available online).

significantly more likely to have positive moods than television participants

(see Table 3 and Figure 2). Examination of cell means for physical activity
and for negative mood did not reveal similar patterns.
Although a central purpose of this investigation was to determine the
compensatory benefits of playing Wii games with a social partner, an addi-
tional goal was to determine how these dimensions of well-being are related
to one another.

Converging on a Definition of Well-Being

We began by examining relationships between loneliness, average physical
activity, average positive mood, average negative mood, life satisfaction, and
health quotient for the entire sample. All variables were positively intercor-
related, with the exception of life satisfaction and average positive mood,
which were marginally related, suggesting that these variables converge on
a concept of well-being (see Table 4).
 Effects of Wii on Well-Being in Elderly 339

TABLE 4 Intercorrelations Between Loneliness, Life Satisfaction, Average Health Quotient,

Average Positive Mood, Average Negative Mood, and Average Physical Activity

Average
Life Average Average physical
satisfaction Health positive negative activity

Loneliness −.485∗∗ −.59∗∗ −.55∗∗ .704∗∗ −.527∗∗

Life Satisfaction – .684∗∗ .395 −.684∗∗ .412∗
Health – .537∗∗ −.669∗∗ .567∗∗
Average Positive – −.408∗ .58∗∗
Average Negative – −.491∗∗
∗ ∗∗
p < .05. p < .01.
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TABLE 5 Correlations: Physical Activity (PA), Positive Mood (PosMood), and Negative Mood
(NegMood) for Weeks 1–10

Week 1 2 3 4 5

PA/PosMood .33 .47∗ .4∗ .52∗∗ .4∗

PA/NegMood −.22 −.45∗ −.4∗ −.38∗ .22

Week 6 7 8 9 10

PA/PosMood .64∗∗ .53∗∗ .48∗ .43∗ .4∗

PA/NegMood −.26 −.12 −.24 −.3 −.33
∗ ∗∗
p < .05. p < .01.

Examining weekly data, correlations between weekly reported positive

mood, negative mood, and physical activity were computed. Interestingly, at
each week, positive mood was positively related to physical activity, with the
exception of the initial visit. In contrast, negative mood was less consistently
related to physical activity (see Table 5).
Probing this relationship between activity and mood further, hierar-
chical regression analyses indicated that average positive mood predicted
average physical activity, accounting for 32% of the variance (β = .592,
p < .01) independent of average health quotient, posttest loneliness, posttest
life satisfaction, and average negative mood. Further, hierarchical regres-
sion analyses indicated that posttest loneliness predicted average positive
mood, accounting for 27% of the variance (β = .55, p < .01) independent
of posttest life satisfaction and average health quotient (note, because of the
strong relationship already determined between physical activity and pos-
itive mood, average physical activity was not entered into this equation).
Finally, hierarchical regression analyses indicated that average health quo-
tient predicted life satisfaction (posttest), accounting for 51% of the variance
(β = .73, p < .001) independent of loneliness (posttest), average positive
and negative mood, and average physical activity.
 340 P. E. Kahlbaugh et al.

DISCUSSION

Since the 1960s, gerontologists and others have considered what success-
ful aging means and how quality of life can be maintained as one ages.
How can individuals maintain a sense of well-being in the face of the chal-
lenges of aging, such as illness and loss? Addressing what successful aging
means, our findings suggest a high degree of interrelatedness between rel-
evant emotional features of well-being. Loneliness, life satisfaction, mood,
and activity are all related in ways that would be expected. For example,
individuals who are less lonely report more positive moods, fewer negative
moods, are more physically active, are healthier, and have greater degrees
of life satisfaction than individuals who are more lonely. Interestingly, the
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greatest predictor of physical activity was positive mood (not overall health
as one might expect), and the greatest predictor of positive mood, with the
exclusion of physical activity, was loneliness. Overall health was the greatest
predictor of life satisfaction. These correlations are intuitive and support a
view of successful aging as composed of several emotional qualities.
Psychological constructs like loneliness, mood, physical activity, and
health converge on an understanding of well-being. A central question of
this research is: How can individuals maintain feelings of well-being as they
age? This study investigates the Wii technology as a compensatory strategy
enabling the elderly to continue playing once-enjoyed games when physical
limitations present barriers. The Wii represents computerized simulations of
previously enjoyed activities, such as bowling, for individuals whose partici-
pation is no longer actively pursued. Does playing Wii games exert a positive
influence on particular components of well-being such as loneliness, mood,
and physical activity?
Our findings suggest that, just as in other time periods in the life cycle,
shared recreational activities create relationships where people gain support
and relevance. In this study, elderly participants who played Wii bowling
with a young person once a week for 1 hour for a 10-week period reported
decreased loneliness, while those who watched television with a young per-
son reported increased loneliness after the 10-week study. Week by week,
the Wii group also reported greater positive mood compared to the tele-
vision group. Although students were instructed to be socially responsive
in both groups, bowling with a partner may have facilitated the creation
of relationships between the elderly person and the younger student in a
way that passively watching television did not. In other words, the two
people formed a bond based on mutual enjoyment. Furthermore, bowling
with a younger person may have created an identification with a younger
subjective age, thus promoting a feeling of being only “as old as you feel”
(Montepare & Lachman, 1989, p. 73).
Another possible explanation for decreased loneliness and increased
positive mood in the Wii group is that participating in the Wii study created
 Effects of Wii on Well-Being in Elderly 341

a common social network and a group identification in their senior apart-

ment setting that increased a sense of place and relevance for them. In the
residential communities, playing the Wii offered a new and vital connection.
Given that loneliness increased for the television group, it is possible that
the Wii identification may have even created a sense of social exclusion for
the non-Wii groups. That the elderly are sensitive to in- and out-group for-
mations is important to consider when creating informal social groupings,
as these may have a negative effect on those not participating.
Positive mood was enhanced in the Wii group, but it is interesting to
note that there was a trend toward less positive mood over the course of
the 10 weeks in all groups. Positive mood may have been enhanced at
the beginning with the excitement of meeting new people and starting a
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new program, but this excitement may fade over time. Note that this trend
was not statistically significant, but it bears watching in future research of
this nature.
Although the Wii groups did not become more physically active over
the study period—neither were there differences between the Wii and televi-
sion groups—participating in the Wii did affect an positive mood, which was
an important predictor of physical activity over and above the contributions
of variables such as health, negative mood, loneliness, and life satisfaction.
Because positive mood state predicted level of engagement in other weekly
activities, it becomes important for researchers and practitioners to investi-
gate this relationship further to see how programs affect positive feelings
(see also Mathieu, 2008).
These benefits of the Wii embodied technology appear promising; how-
ever, in this small-scale study there were no increases in life satisfaction as
a result of playing the Wii. Life satisfaction appears to be strongly related
to health, and thus it is unlikely to be affected by smaller interventions.
On the other hand, compensatory strategies, defined here as the Wii, did
influence emotional aspects of well-being and, thus, further research is war-
ranted given the potential this type of social activity has for these elderly
individuals. Some elderly residential communities and senior centers offer
the Wii as recreation, but the current study is the first to provide evidence
of benefits of such activity in older individuals beyond case studies of indi-
viduals with specific impairments (Drexler, 2009; Weybright et al., 2010).
Based on this study of the Wii, programs aimed at seniors may want to seri-
ously consider ways to incorporate this type of technology, especially if the
aim of the program is to increase a sense of belongingness and enjoyment.
Work with the elderly should target programs that enhance shared positive
emotional experiences. One caveat, though, is to be aware that these social
groupings may have the untoward effect of creating subcultures that cause
others to feel excluded.
The study is important in that it represents a first, albeit small-scale,
study to examine the effects of a very simple intervention that appears to
 342 P. E. Kahlbaugh et al.

have positive impacts on the emotional well-being of older people. When

physical competence declines or is otherwise compromised, there are strate-
gies, such as playing simulated, embodied games, which can encourage
social engagement, enable social connection, and enhance positive mood.
The psychological impact of technology has been noted in other places,
particularly in the area of loneliness reduction (Goldstein et al., 1997;
Nugent, 2007).
Future work could focus attention on other issues such as depression,
death anxiety, and cognitive function, which may also be mitigated by pro-
grams aimed at encouraging active and engaged lifestyles via a greater sense
of personal relevancy, purpose, and connection with others. The increased
life expectancy of our generation reflects improvements in the health care
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and practices available; one challenge of this increased life expectancy is

how to continue to live well as one ages, that is, how to maintain the qual-
ity of social connectedness, belonging, and happiness in the face of the
loss of others and of physical competence. This challenge requires innova-
tions and strategic substitutions. The Wii provides opportunities to engage
in previously enjoyed activities and to regain the psychological benefits such
activities once afforded.

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