Retirement doesn’t have to mean a life filled with daytime television. Today’s seniors are embracing technology like never before, using it to stay active, engaged, and connected with the world.
Games get us moving
Games consoles like the Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect have helped to keep seniors physically active and mentally sharp. Motion-controlled games like Wii Sports encourage players to get off the couch, providing a fun and engaging way to exercise without the drudgery some find in traditional workouts. Games like Just Dance offer low-impact activities that improve balance, coordination, and flexibility – all crucial factors in maintaining mobility and preventing falls as we age.
A 2021 study entitled “An Interactive Physical-Cognitive Game-Based Training System Using Kinect for Older Adults” found that “game-based exercise appears to be a promising tool for enhancing older adults’ motivation to engage in physical-cognitive exercise with the aim to reduce the risk of falls.”
Gaming provides cognitive stimulation and challenges us to think strategically, solve puzzles, and react quickly to on-screen events. This mental workout can help stave off cognitive decline and improve our memories.
Interactive projectors
Interactive projectors are not only giving educators more tools to keep their students engaged, and families more ways to play together with fun, interactive games, but also helping seniors to stay sharp.
These modern projectors are easily set up and project fun games onto a wall, floor, or tabletop. They can be used in gyms, senior homes, community centers, and in just about any indoor space. Interactive games for seniors encourage movement and cognition and have the power to connect people: residents, family, friends, and staff.
Projector games include adventure, strategy, puzzles, sports, movement, and music genres. Some of these games are suitable for helping seniors in specific ways: stimulating cognitive activity, encouraging social interaction, combating dementia, and more.
Virtual reality opens new worlds – and improves our own world
Remember when “seeing the world” meant flipping through a stack of postcards? Virtual reality (VR) technology is changing that, allowing us to explore far-flung destinations from the comfort of our homes. VR headsets transport users to virtual environments that feelamazingly real. You can stroll through the streets of Paris, dive into coral reefs, or revisit cherished places from the past.
The Seattle Times recently reported on how VR may help seniors’ health and emotional well-being. It may even lessen the impact of dementia. A Stanford University study of 245 senior participants found that VR improved both seniors’ emotions and their interactions with staff at senior communities.
The participants “picked from seven-minute virtual experiences such as parachuting, riding in a tank, watching stage performances, playing with puppies and kittens or visiting places like Paris or Egypt. The participants wore headsets that gave them 360-degree views and sounds, making it seem like they had been all but dropped into the actual experience.”
One participant said that VR “stimulated virtually every area of my brain, all of the senses.” Seattle Times wrote that “almost 75% of caregivers said residents’ moods improved after using VR. More than 80% of residents and almost 95% of caregivers said talking about their VR experience enhanced their relationships with each other.”
Read also: The Future of Classroom Technology: How Interactive Flat Panels Are Leading the Way
Fitness trackers make every step count
Fitness trackers and smartwatches not only count steps; they can also monitor heart rate, track sleep patterns, and even detect falls. For many seniors, this data provides valuable insights into overall health and motivation to stay active throughout the day.
The gamification aspect of fitness trackers adds a layer of fun and competition. We can set personal goals, earn virtual badges, and challenge friends to step-count contests. It’s amazing how motivating some friendly rivalry can be.
In Conclusion
Motion-controlled games, interactive projectors, VR, and fitness trackers are all helping seniors remain active. Technology is enhancing seniors’ cognitive and physical abilities and encouraging us to keep moving well into our later years.
