Tuesday, February 8, 2011

How Older People Are Playing Video Games






Video gaming has changed through the years. Motion gaming is getting people off of the sofas and onto the floor. Not only are kids playing the games, but so are their parents and even their grandparents. Senior living facilities are using motion gaming as a rehabilitation tool.
Motion gaming has brought seniors together and has increased socializing. There has been an increase in the use of these platforms in assisted care facilities because of this socialization. Game systems like the Nintendo Wii, The xbox 360 kinect and the Playstation Move have brought out the competitive nature of the senior citizens and video gaming tournaments are regularly held between different senior centers and while he majority of the seniors at the community centers love motion gaming they occasionally get frustrated with the controls because they forget which button to push or are unsure about how to play some of the games. After a person stops worrying about the small things, they are able to enjoy the fun and physical activity that the platforms bring to them.
While many gamers have become very excited with the recent xbox 360 kinect release date, many senior citizens have become loyal to the Nintendo Wii which has been around for many years and this is because it allows a player to interact with the gaming system using a remote control and various other devices to simulate playing familiar sports such as tennis or bowling. Games of the past were good at helping a person develop hand dexterity, but not much else, but now the games involve a person’s whole body as they play.
There have been exercise videos around for a long time. Something about these new video games has made the way a person moves their body different. When someone is using their body as a controller they are more than just an observer they are a participant. Before they were watching someone on a screen show them how to exercise. People can become active participants through the games today. When motion gaming is used for older people it can be tailored to any specific need that they might have to help make their body stronger and healthier.
When people play today’s games they are not only challenging their body, they are challenging their brain. Research has shown that playing these games can help older people with many conditions that include Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s.
Companies have noticed how the games are being used. They have started to develop games that are targeted for the senior market. It is no longer just the young gamer who can find something fun to play. Manufacturers have also made some of the games easier for people to play to attract this market.
Video games have been around for many decades. People who were gamers back in the seventies are still playing games. Senior citizens are not afraid of gaming because it is something they have always done. But the way they are playing has changed dramatically.

Parents used to worry about the effects that sitting on a couch holding a controller in the hand would have on a person’s body. Researchers kept telling us that video games would lead to people struggling with their body due to the inactive nature of the games. Motion gaming has changed that. The gaming platforms have people dancing and exercising. Young and old alike are finding out that it is fun to be a part of the game.

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