Is it good for elderly to play video games?
Although it may seem unbelievable, video games provide many social, cognitive, and physical benefits for seniors, and they enjoy this game because it isn’t competitive. Some of the little-known are listed below:
• Better Emotional Well-Being
You will improve your emotional health by doing what you enjoy no matter what you do. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many seniors who want to play video games are in better spirits. Study results suggest that regular and occasional video gamers are more likely to report better health, well-being, and social functioning than non-gamers. In addition, people who play video games are significantly less likely to suffer from depression than those who do not.
• Improved Balance
Certain video games that require physical interaction, such as Wii Sports, can help seniors improve balance, coordination, reflexes, and decision-making due to the quick actions and decisions they need to make while playing. Many seniors have even reported faster walking speeds after playing video games. Researchers found that seniors who trained on a treadmill and VR were 42% less likely to fall. Participants had to overcome real-life obstacles to increase balance and strength as part of the training.
• Enhanced Cognitive Ability
Video games can improve cognitive skills as well as physical and emotional well-being. An academic study conducted by the University of California San Francisco showed significant improvements in cognitive ability among seniors who played 3D video games.
• Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s disease affects about 5.5 million seniors in the U.S. alone, so treatment methods are scrutinized and highly valued. According to recent research, video games may even reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s.
