A new Australian study shows that gaming could have positive health benefits for older people. The research found that participants who played video games recorded increases in cognitive test scores and improved cognitive performance. Physical health also improved thanks to gaming.
The study measured the fitness of 45 individuals age 72 or older through 12 weeks of testing. 23 participants attended interactive video game sessions while the other 22 people took part in low-intensity exercises.
“Interactive video gaming is different to traditional exercise as it not only needs physical skill, ability, and body movement to control the on-screen character’s movement but also has a cognitive component that requires visual-spatial skills, hand-eye or foot-eye coordination and quick decision making,” said Associate Professor Tracy Kolbe-Alexander. “Our findings indicate that combining these two types of exercises can have a positive effect on an older person’s cognitive function and improve important daily functional abilities like mobility, stability, balance, and strength.”
The study was performed in Queensland, Australia. It was led by Ph.D. student Udhir Ramnath from the University of Cape Town and authored by Professor Tracy Kolbe-Alexander from the University of Southern Queensland.
The Profit‘s Take:
New market opportunity? LAN centers for seniors, with approved reimbursements by health insurance plans?
(All information was provided by The Senior Magazine)
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