Making Video Gaming a Fun and Beneficial Part of Your Elderly Care Plan

Elderly Care Referral Service in Zebulon, NC

The thought of people playing video games may conjure up all sorts of negative images of empty-eyed teenagers staring blankly at screens, violent storylines leading to rash behavior, and sedentary lifestyles contributing to obesity and other health concerns. What may not come to mind is the thought of aging adults not only playing video games, but experiencing true benefits from them.

While excessive video gaming can have its negative consequences, many recent studies have shown that, when used responsibly, video games can actually be a highly beneficial element of your elderly care plan. Whether played independently, with you, with a referred caregiver, or as an inter-generational activity with your children, video games offer your parents a unique and mentally stimulating activity you can integrate into their care plan to meet a variety of care goals.

Some of the ways that video gaming can be a fun and beneficial part of your elderly care plan include:

• Ease arthritis. For those suffering from the pain and stiffness of arthritis, extra physical activity can make a tremendous difference in their comfort and quality of life. The act of using traditional video game controllers works the muscles and joints of the hands, promoting stronger muscles, more lubricated joints, and greater range of motion. The distraction of playing the game also reduces the perception of pain.
• Vision benefits. Recent studies have shown that playing video games can offer some improvement in vision. Focusing on the game on the screen and moving the eyes to keep up with the graphics can strengthen the eye muscles, reducing the effect of low vision and helping to ward off worsened vision problems.
• Physical exercise. Getting your aging loved ones to participate in physical activity can be challenging, particularly when the weather is not conducive to getting outside and being active. Gaming systems such as the Wii and PlayStation Kinect feature body-controlled gameplay that utilizes a special controller and movement detector that allows players to control the game by actually moving their bodies. Playing games such as bowling, tennis, baseball, golf, swimming, running through obstacle courses, and even participating in yoga give your parents extra exercise while they have fun.
• Socialization. While there are plenty of video games to play independently, the best part of gaming for many people is spending time having fun with friends and family. Whether your parents play with you, their grandchildren, their referred caregiver, or a group of all of you, this time together is fantastic for promoting conversation, sharing, laughter, and bonding, all of which are great for your parents’ emotional and mental health.
• Cognitive processing. Playing video games is extremely stimulating to the mind. The colors and movements of the graphics keep the mind active, while planning strategies, following instructions, and keeping up with gameplay works your parents’ critical thinking and memory skills for stronger cognitive health.

The articles posted on this blog are provided for general information and discussion purposes only.  These articles are not intended to suggest anything with respect to the operations or services of this office.