Seniors turn into gamers
Video games are a mystery to most seniors and many of them are happy to keep it that way.
But some among the older generations are turning their bemusement into amusement and throwing themselves into the world of virtual reality.
Wanneroo retiree Ronald Davey turns 95 next month, putting him in line for Australia's oldest gamer.
He attends weekly "exergaming" sessions at the Wanneroo Recreation Centre, part of the WA Seniors Recreation Council's Tech Savvy Seniors program.
Exergaming is a combination of video games and low-impact exercise typically delivered through the Nintendo Wii or Microsoft Xbox Kinect - consoles that use motion-sensing technology.
Though it took Mr Davey's group a while to adjust, he said the sessions became competitive and full of laughs. "You get a lot of fun out of it and a lot of disappointment, too, because our games are quite competitive," he said. "I like the tenpin bowling - it's like the real action.
"It's wonderful how far science has come since I was a boy."
Mr Davey, who lost his wife to Alzheimer's disease, said there was plenty of value in exergaming. "I think it's invigorating, both mentally and physically, with your co-ordination and balance," he said.
Tech Savvy Seniors project officer Martin Yates said there were also social benefits to the program.
"It's a real intergenerational thing," he said. "The beauty of this is they can have the system at home and when the grandkids come over, they can all play together."
