The Nintendo Wii is an interactive gaming console that is bridging gaps between the old and young.

Thanks to this very user-friendly system, grandparents are now playing video games with their grandchildren and enjoying themselves in the process!

The Wii offers many different games. Some of the most popular are bowling, golf, tennis and Wii Fit, which provides numerous games in itself.

"To play these games you have to use a special motion sensitive controller (or board in the case of Wii Fit) that causes your character on the game to mimic your movements," says Jill Sherman, a spokesman for the Senior Enrichment Center.

The Nintendo Wii has rapidly been gaining favor at senior centers and rehabilitative centers across the country, thanks to the health benefits it has been known to offer.

Studies have shown that the Wii can improve posture and balance because the games require proper form for the best results. The Wii has also shown benefits with hand-eye coordination and motor skills due to the interactions with the game.

The most important benefit of the game, however, is the entertainment it provides. Especially in the case of senior citizens, the Wii provides a way for them to play games they once loved, such as golf, baseball and bowling that now physical limitations keep them from enjoying.

For those who are interested in learning more about the Wii and how to play, local Boy Scout and volunteer Jared Woodard is at the Moore County Senior Enrichment Center the second Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m., anxious to teach seniors how to play the Wii and see them reap the benefits.

For information, call (910) 215-0900.