Wii-Hab for Pensioners at Ely Hospital

OLDER people are making use of new technology at the Princess of Wales Hospital. An innovative young physiotherapist, Barry Underwood, has been helping patients get their flexibility back with the help of the Nintendo Wii, dubbed – Wii-Hab by staff. Mr

OLDER people are making use of new technology at the Princess of Wales Hospital.

An innovative young physiotherapist, Barry Underwood, has been helping patients get their flexibility back with the help of the Nintendo Wii, dubbed - Wii-Hab by staff.

Mr Underwood said: "I recently read a report in the

Physiotherapy Journal on the potential benefits of using the Wii console to help people in their rehabilitation. I thought that it would be fun for our patients as therapy can get a little boring and repetitive at times.

"Funded from donations to the ward we purchased Wii sports and we have been using it as

part of patients therapy programmes to improve hand eye coordination, balance

and generally increase patients activity levels.

"I have to say patients are really enjoying it. One of our patients James Flowers especially enjoys the golf and is proving a dab-hand at tenpin bowling. Joan Thorby is also giving bowling a go, with it assisting her in using her hands - all of which can be done from her chair.

"If the Wii continues to be a success I am hoping it may be used in our wider therapy sessions.