Seniors Say "Game On" for Better Overall Health

When you think of video games, does a senior at the controls come to mind? Video games are capturing the interest of a rising number of seniors and are a popular trend not only for entertainment but also for improving physical agility, cognitive health and social interactions.

As 10,000 people per day are turning 65, the senior demographic is increasingly becoming more game savvy. These “new” seniors grew up with gaming and are comfortable with the technology. Because of this, gaming companies are very focused on this growing target demographic and how they can improve a senior’s experience with gaming.

These seniors are not the typical “gamer” that gaming companies have been marketing to. Historically, game designers have developed the popular teenage games that include lots of “shoot ‘em up and blow ‘em up,” but they have found that seniors don’t prefer that sort of action-packed game.

A senior is more likely to play a game because they are able to engage in an activity that they used to do, for example, tennis, bowling or golf. With a gaming system like Nintendo Wii, the participant needs to hold onto a remote control that registers their action on the game. Xbox 360 Kinect has sensors that will register the user’s action so the person playing the game doesn’t need to hold anything. Both systems have found a niche as they offer some great benefit for seniors.

Nursing homes are using video games to keep seniors active. A study by the Gerontological Society indicates that virtually engaging in activities that someone previously enjoyed actually increases life satisfaction, decreases reported loneliness, improves mood, and increases physical activity. Physical therapy patients also work with video games to improve their recovery from injuries. Video games have influenced and improved quality time between generations by allowing seniors to connect with and enjoy younger generations.

A study by the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine discovered that playing Wii helped about 30 percent of their participants feel a 50 percent reduction in their depressive symptoms. Even infrequent use of motion game participation has been shown to improve balance, coordination and strength.

Doctors and other medical practitioners use gaming systems to monitor progress or deterioration of a physical or mental capability in a senior. The professionals take regular measurements of a senior’s ability to play the video game. The results of the measurements can help indicate if a health issue is advancing. Other tests cannot accomplish this same task.

Photo credit: National Senior League website

The 2011 Spring Wii Bowling Champions – The Cedar Crest Crushers
A new concept of healthy competition between seniors has emerged at senior living communities thanks to the Wii video game technology and the National Senior League (NSL). This is the only national Wii competition series dedicated to residents of senior communities. Seniors form bowling or golf teams and register to play against each other through the NSL website.

The league is organized online at the NSL website. A person from each team is designated as the Team Coach and is responsible for registering players and recording scores after each match. For the bowling league this past spring, there were 144 teams from 24 states. The teams are divided into conferences of eight teams who play a seven-week season.

Once the regular season is over, there is a multiple week playoff organized much like the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament. The playoffs lead to a webcasted production of the championship game – complete with a trophy for the champions! The other residents of the senior community are encouraged to come watch the games and cheer on their friends during competition.

The spring 2011 NSL Champions were the Cedar Crest Crushers out of Pompton Plains, NJ, who defeated a team from Pennsylvania.

“As Wii Sport games have become a favorite activity in senior living communities, the NSL was created to enhance the fun, social and entertainment value Wii has to offer through national competitions, ultimately enriching the lives of senior residents in a way that allows them to Live active, Live fun and Live life” (www.nslgames.com).

Photo credit: National Senior League website

Bill Sperry of the Cedar Crest Crushers shows off his perfect bowling score.

Video games have naturally allowed seniors to be more socially interactive with each other and with the younger people in their lives and are allowing opportunities for better health on many levels. Creators of these games are interested in making a difference for seniors now and for years to come through gaming experiences that are engaging and fun. Medical providers, senior living staff and the seniors themselves are seeing the health benefits of video games and are working hard to integrate the technology into the lives of seniors.