Assisted living facilities are always looking to implement new measures that can contribute to seniors’ physical and mental well-being. One of these is video games, according to a study conducted by the University of Illinois. Yes, video games are not exclusive to kids, but also offer benefits to seniors and help them stay active and healthy. You may have seen quite a few independent living centers where the television co-exists with Nintendo Wii games. These games can play quite a big role in improving seniors’ cognitive abilities.
Studies linking senior health to video games
Cognitive improvements: A University of Illinois study of adults in the 60-70 age group revealed that strategic video games can enhance multiple cognitive functions in seniors. A noticeable improvement in switching between tasks was noticed in seniors who actively played video games. They also performed better on memory tests.
Playing video games alerts the mind and does not keep it inert for long intervals of time. As the player will have to initiate the activity and continue it, he/she will be in a state of motion both mentally and physically. In fact, gaming is exciting for people of any age – there are some devoted and enthusiastic Nintendo Wii players who fall in the ‘above 60’ category!
Physical fitness: The study also showed that video games can promote physical wellness in seniors. Also, seniors are able to play video games more easily than, say bowling, where they may struggle to pick up the bowling ball. This is especially true in the case of Wii Fit, an active-play video game that combines fun and fitness.
Another study by North Carolina’s Elon University showed that ‘exergames’ or video games incorporating physical exercise can improve balance and strength to a large degree. Interestingly, seniors who played exergames also saw their ‘Wii age’ decrease! For the record, the Wii age is the player’s perceived fitness level based on his/her performance. A lower Wii age means that you are healthier than you could be (for your age).
Using studies and solutions to provide enhanced senior care
Alzheimer’s cases in seniors is expected to rise above 13 million by 2050 (currently stands at a little over 5 million). The senior housing and care sector will expectedly focus more on Alzheimer’s and memory care, and a big opportunity for care providers will be in this area. A part of providing good care to seniors, which includes maintaining and improving their cognitive abilities, is to learn from the latest solutions and research findings.
A senior living facility that does not have an arrangement for on-site video games for seniors can introduce the same. For instance, our Sacramento, Ca has a dedicated game room and a library. Senior centers can improve the living space and contribute to residents’ mental well-being by investing in the latest solutions.
