New study: video games are brain food for your grandparents |
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Even more research is being done on the various effects of video games. While some studies focus on other ill effects game may have on the players, this one's a bit positive: early data gathered from a new study suggests that certain games may have progressive effects on the elderly.
The study was conducted on some 40 adults in their 60s to 70s. Now imagine them playing Rise of Nations. Yep, the findings suggest that strategy-heavy games help keep the elderly on their toes. Or in this case, keep their thinking caps on.
The tests lasted for a month, with one group having a total of 23 hours of gaming, while the other was kept as the control group without any "game training". The grannies and grandpas who ended up in the gaming group were found to have scored higher on memory, multi-tasking, and cognitive tests administered after their training sessions.
As the researchers at the University of Illinois state, this study is still in its very early stages. However, as one Dr. Arthur Kramer says, the data they've gathered is "very promising."
He also notes that, though their research is focused on mental health, another benefit of video games for the elderly is that it build social interactions too. A quote from Dr. Kramer reads:
Playing videogames with their grandkids would also be a great idea because we know that social interactions -- along with physical exercise and intellectual challenge -- also enhance the cognitive abilities of older adults.
So. Strategy and tactics, is it? Dust off that copy of Metal Gear Ac!d for the PSP, why don't ya? Or maybe, while you're spending Christmas with your grandparents, you might want to lend them your PSP for a round or two of, say, FFTactics: War of the Lions? Or maybe you want to let them have a crack at PixelJunk? Oh, imagine the possibilities!
By next year, your nanna just might pwn your sorry little butt on PixelJunk! Go, granny!
Related articles:
- Police investigate: video games deteriorate real-life driving skills
- Wii therapy spreads to North Carolina
- Wii bowling wows the elderly in Chicago
Via Reuters
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Comments [refresh]
The problem I've come to find with my parents, pfft forget grandparents, is that they are unwilling to "learn" a game. Nowadays most games(lets use Acid as an example) have some kind of learning curve and the first few missions are devoted to teaching you the basics of the game.
My parents will almost immidietly say, "This is too complicated for a game, no thankyou" or dismiss the game when they don't understand the smallest thing, therefore they are unwilling to learn and won't even attempt it. This annoys the bejesus out of me but I can't force them or change them, they're reluctant and unwilling.
My folks were refusing to try even littleBigPlanet ! And when i finally convinced them to try the game they completely sucked at basic maneuvering. My mom almost broke the X button and left analogue stick by pressing as if her life depended on it!
My parents will find the slightest most insignificant flaw in the game and just give up because of that. Lots of "elderly" people will just focus on the negative parts of a game not the positives which make it fun.
would really really like to see how our generation of gamers would turn out when we're in our 60's -70's.
Woah, thats like in year the 2050 +
i wonder if we would all somehow transform into old farts with age.
" You know grandson, in my time, we had these things called video games.... I used to ranked #20 on the leaderboards for Pain Killer drums you knaa... "
thats jst sad sad thinking about it lol. i jst have the best hopes for whatever future holds for me. hell, it would be something though if the world ended in 2012..
when I'm older. Oh wait... I meant pwn at videogames! pwn at videogames!
"While some studies focus on other ill effects game MAY HAVE on the players, this one's a bit positive: early data gathered from a new study suggests that certain games MAY HAVE progressive effects on the elderly."
most older (elderly) people find it very hard to pick up and play current games due to the steep learning curve.
the only computer games i have been able to get my dad to play are tetris, and sometimes driving games. both are very simple (basically 3 different controls each: rotate, and horiz. + vert. movement / gas, brakes, and steering)
if there was a strategy game with very basic game mechanics it would appeal more to the older generation(s?) and it may become more common to see older gamers.
the only game that has ever appealed to my grandparents was field commander for the psp. while its a bit more harder than most i would throw at them, my grandpa turns out to be an excellent strategist at the game.
i want a 70 year old man screaming at me down headset on cod, that would be ace, haha. but i agree with RommeITJ, i will pwn my grandkids at videogames, no matter what
Look, I could be considered to be an old fart (in my 40's) and I love video games. Frankly, I have had them since Pong. Back in the 70's... EARLY 70's... Most of you weren't even a bad joke back then. I used to try and get my folks involved with the games, but most attempts were met with similar results.
Now my kids want me to get heavy into their competitions, but when I sit down to play, I have a learning curve (sometimes). Their (your) impatience to let the old fart get the feel of things exacerbates the frustration.
RPG, MMO and first person shorters i smack their little/big asses till the cows come home. Not to mention the fact that I have 35+ years experience at smack than a lot of you folks do.
For the old farts, look at it in this perspective... 1. If they are REALLY old, they came from an era that used heavy tools to get work done, thus playing hard was a custom as well. The computer related gaming systems of today just won't handle a pure ass whipping. Also, the heavy handedness of old also lends to moving slower as well.
Example; my grandfather was a coal miner all his life. He started out when the coal was still hand drawn and carted out of the hole by a mule. He wanted to learn how to use computers, but the conditioning of his hands caused him to move far too slow to even double click a mouse. This was doubly frustrating when trying to get him to understand the concept of 'double clicking'. He wanted to hit the button like he was trying to push his finger through drywall. So he said "fock it!!" (literally, that's what he said) and never persued using a computer ever again.
So, (not counting myself and a few around my age) don't ask an old fart to play a game with you if you aren't going to show some (in most parts, untaught) patience and let them get the feel for the game. Don't just plop you scrawny ass next to them, hit start and pour hell on them like it was chocolate sauce at an ice cream buffet. All that does is piss the adult off, you say they suck and dance around like you have an even smaller peter than before you beat yup on a cripple.
Secondly, some of these old farts are just plain scared to death of this stuff. You have to remember, they grew up with TV and movies that depicted computers as bursting into flames when you hit the wrong button.
Sounds stupid, I know, but in some cases it's the truth.
My suggestion... for what it is worth. get an old 'side scroller" bloop bloop game and let them get used to the controller. Make sure it sucks so hard that even if you lose, you could care less. That way they feel like they got somewhere and that they can compete with the younger generation.
Couple of months of that, THEN sodomize the old b@stard with a mule d1ldo topped with a barbed wire c0ck ring. just do yourself a favor... SOME of us old farts? Yeah, we can still tan that little ass...