The AARP has released its findings regarding online games for seniors. They report that the number of seniors gaming online has jumped by one-third in recent years.
Retirees are looking to the online landscape for several benefits, including finding online communities to bolster their interactions with others in real life. Are you curious about what this could mean for you and how to take advantage of what it offers?
Below, we dive into how easily accessible online platforms can help seniors:
We will also help you understand how playing games online can help you in real-world communities, such as those at Addington Place. So, start reading and learn what embracing a digital world of play can mean to you or a loved one.
Isolation is a real problem for many seniors, which is why people are discovering the benefits of assisted senior living sites in preventing loneliness and depression. At the same time, online communities can often provide a sense of belonging and a platform for people to interact with others without leaving one's living space.
In a location like Addington Place, this can help boost a resident's social circle further, with close companions available both online and offline. Therefore, anyone residing here can choose how to best interact with multiple groups.
We understand that many seniors seek deep and meaningful relationships with others as they progress in life. Our residents can foster these engagements by interacting with other residents and staff or using video chat or online forums to converse with others.
Another benefit of online spaces is finding niche communities one may not see as easily in reality. Online spaces thus allow them to continue to network with old colleagues or friends who might be more open to discussing unique topics in depth.
Several studies have been conducted over the decades on online gaming and seniors' health. In general, they have found that the activity offers benefits in terms of:
These all aid residents long-term by offering enrichment and methods by which seniors online can use multiple areas of their brains.
Playing online games can also improve one's ability to multitask and make decisions due to practicing in a digital space. As such, it can boost independence and help prevent difficulties with decision paralysis later in life.
Some brain games for seniors can cause them to feel self-conscious about their abilities, including group board and card games, as well as solo activities like Sudoku and crosswords. Engaging in online versions of these can enable a senior to practice their ability outside of the judgment of others. They can then return to in-person group activities with new knowledge and confidence they may have lacked before.
Engaging in online activities, such as games featuring multiple human players, can offer its own layer of social reinforcement. While these will not always be deep conversations, they engage the resident in a casual discussion that can often be stress-relieving, with the game acting as a social hub.
One of the other benefits that a combination of online interactions and communities for elderly adults offers is the ability to participate anytime or anywhere. Many online spaces have multiple ways to interact with their community, such as:
There are also other activities, such as webinars or concerts, that seniors can attend on their own or with others, giving them more options for socializing.
As residents become more accomplished in online spaces, they will likely gain boosted confidence levels. At the same time, one cannot expect to always succeed or "win" in online games. Both ends of the spectrum offer seniors practice in emotional resilience and can often create a real sense of accomplishment.
Participating in multiplayer games allows senior gamers to maintain communication skills and cooperate with other players. Doing this may even reduce the slide into a more negative attitude seen in some retirees by encouraging seniors to see situations from alternate perspectives.
Social skills learned in these digital spaces are no more or less valid than any other. As such, those with social skills issues may find that online communities offer an unconscious opportunity to improve personability and encourage emotional empathy. Long-term, this can help them engage with other residents in the senior living community and improve their well-being.
While many heavily promoted online games can be loud and inaccessible, many other slower options can appeal to seniors. They offer cerebral engagement or fulfilling experiences found outside of the Hollywood-style offerings. However, if a resident wishes to play these too, we encourage them to follow their interests.
Some more accessible games that will not patronize elderly adults include:
Seniors can start and manage a farm in this slow-paced game of joining and becoming a part of a small-town community.
This historically focused game about growing a civilization from the Stone Age to the Modern Age can offer hours of easy-to-play but difficult-to-master entertainment.
Animal Crossing is a series of cozy games where players create, curate, and manage an island paradise filled with whimsical residents. It has a leisurely pace and offers creative freedom.
Online games for seniors and offline communities offer an opportunity to enrich the lives of elderly adults. Here at Addington Place of Shiloh, we encourage all forms of socialization a resident wants to partake in to ensure an active and fulfilling lifestyle.
With our welcoming environment and drive to improve the lives of residents, we provide a living space that supports strong social connections. If you wish to take a tour of our senior living, then contact us today. We are happy to help you learn about our engaging community.