Gaming and Aging

Video games and the elderly may just seem like polar opposites, but after our lectures and readings I thought about what it could mean if elderlies were actually exposed to the video games. From the readings and research that I have done, it shows that there is a lot of conflicting discourse about whether or not video games actually are beneficial to the aging process. Miller reports on this discourse by presenting HiFi. HiFi is a video game designed to stimulate the "neural circuits" of older adults in hopes of creating a form of preventative therapy that slows down or prevents mental diseases from developing. He shows that many mental diseases stem from the inability to process speech as well as adults grow older (2005). HiFi is a great piece of video gaming technology, because it differs from the high-paced games such as Need for Speed or Modern Warfare in that it promotes the slow and repetitive learning that our lectures have suggested is beneficial in successfully helping older individuals. However, some doctors believe that this neural stimulation is merely a temporary effect that is not significant enough to be acknowledged and breakthrough material. While researching video games that have been developed for the elderly, I came across an article by Nicholson about Brain Age 2. Little did I know Brain Age 2 was actually developed for elderly individuals rather than the growing minds of elementary school children--a belief I had until now. Nicholson argues that even though Brain Age 2 has successfully created a game that pushes older adults to play and compete for a younger age result, it still has a long way to go in terms of getting the older generation to even play with technology that they did not grow up with (2007). That being said, our era is still having trouble convincing the older people to embrace change and foreign technology. Yamaguchi, Maki, and Takahashi reported in an article about the educational issues and environments that people should focus on during development of video games for the elderly. The article reiterated the concerns in our lectures and how positive intrinsic reinforcement should be presented through promoting enjoyment, motivation, praise, and learning repetition for the elderly. With the improvement in technology it also shows a form of intergenerational overlapping in the learning process; this means that tools people use to teach the younger generation can also be used to help the older adults. Aging should be a progressive process that yields more wisdom as an individual grows older; thus, the importance of technology is not only a means of stimulation, but also a means of preservation.

References


Miller, G. (2005). Computer game sharpens aging minds [Electronic version]. Science, 310 (5752), 1261-1262. Retrieved on 25 February 2012 from ProQuest database.

Nicholson, P. (2007). Neuroscientist's video game gives aging brains a youthful boost [Electronic version]. Medical Post, 43 (27), 34-35. Retrieved on 25 February 2012 from ProQuest database.

Yamaguchi, H., Maki, Y., & Takahashi, K. (2010). Rehabilitation for dementia using enjoyable video-sports games [Electronic version]. International Psychogeriatrics, 23 (4), 674-676. Retrieved on 25 February 2012 from ProQuest database.