Video gaming is a popular means of entertainment with more than $22 billion spent annually and 1.8 billion users across the country. As a society, we often look at video games as an activity only younger generations participate in. Recent studies show that the average “gamer” is actually 35 years old and increasing. Other studies share details about how gaming helps increase cognitive abilities making it a recommended activity for the senior population and something your adult residental care home needs to pay attention to.

What does this mean for your adult residental care home?

As an adult residental care home, you provide care and activities for residents. Video gaming is a valuable option to add to your activity schedule because it’s not only fun but also beneficial to the residents’ mental capabilities, happiness, and overall health.

Benefits of gaming

For years we heard arguments that video games were a waste of time, a source of addiction, and damaged intellectual abilities. Plenty of new studies show the opposite. Take a look at these five benefits of gaming for older individuals and how your residents could benefit:

• Increased cognitive control: As individuals age, they lose focus as well as the ability to problem solve and concentrate on tasks. Video games require an individual to think before they make a choice, which over time improves and reverses these signs of aging.

How to offer video gaming

Offering video games as an activity for residents can be achieved by purchasing gaming consoles like the PlayStation or Nintendo Wii, mobile tablets, or personal computers. Which gaming method depends on the type of residents in your care, their physical capabilities, along with available space and budget.

Some popular games that help aid cognitive ability in aging adults include Minecraft, Brain Age, and Words with Friends.