Still Looking for That Perfect Gift for Your Elderly Loved One? Try a Wii!

If you have a Wii on your "to-buy" list for the holidays, you might want to add another one - for your elderly loved ones.

While video game sales plummeted overall in 2009, sales are actually increasing in an unexpected demographic - senior citizens. According to an article posted on The Atlantic's Web site, Boomers who are edging into their golden years are far more likely than their predecessors to embrace video games.

The Wii has several features that make it a good fit for the older population. For starters, its games focus more on simple visuals than complex narratives, making it ideal for first-time gamers or those who are nostalgic for Atari, Sega or even arcade games.

Wii also has a surprising number of health benefits. The physical exertion it requires is fairly light, but still beneficial for anyone stuck in a sedentary lifestyle. Physical therapists have also been using "Wiihibilitation" to help motivate patients recovering from strokes, broken bones or other injuries that affect balance, coordination or circulation.

Facilities are also seeing the social benefits that the Wii can bring, according to an article in USA Today. Erickson Retirement Communities in Chicago has been organizing Wii bowling tournaments that have resulted in people who hardly knew each other cheering and hugging in the span of a few hours.

Seniors aren't the only group seeing unexpected benefits from the Wii. NPR's health blog noted that the popular gaming console is also being used to train students in CPR, help with physical therapy and even demonstrate virtual surgery.