{"id":8326,"date":"2026-01-06T12:50:16","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T17:50:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.silvercentury.org\/?p=8326"},"modified":"2026-01-06T12:50:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T17:50:16","slug":"gaming-a-way-to-exercise-older-brains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/78.142.243.82\/~silvercentury\/2026\/01\/gaming-a-way-to-exercise-older-brains\/","title":{"rendered":"Gaming: A Way to Exercise Older Brains"},"content":{"rendered":"

Video games have always been part of Shawn Etheridge\u2019s life. His interest was first sparked as a young teen, when he toted rolls of quarters to a nearby mall to play arcade games like<\/span> Pong<\/span><\/i>. As a young adult, as technology evolved, he began playing games like <\/span>Call of Duty <\/span><\/i>on his personal computer. Later, he even began playing online with his grandchildren, who chortled \u201cPop Pop\u201d each time they spotted his avatar on the screen, leading Etheridge to adopt \u201c2Pop\u201d as his screen name. <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, at age 64, Etheridge unwinds after work each night by playing <\/span>Halo<\/span><\/i> while his wife watches her favorite TV show nearby. He mainly plays for fun, but as he gets older, he also thinks gaming keeps his brain limber. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe more you play, the more proficient you get, and I\u2019ve got to believe that helps with cognition,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Etheridge is one of some 57 million Americans over 50 who enjoy gaming, according to recent data from the Entertainment Software Association. Nearly half of Americans in their 60s and 70s play some form of PC, mobile or console video game every week, as do 36 percent of people in their 80s. <\/span><\/p>\n

The ranks of older gamers are growing too, by more than 12 million, an uptick of 30 percent from 2017 until 2023, according to AARP Research. Whether it\u2019s a lifelong passion or a new endeavor, many older adults are discovering\u2014or rediscovering\u2014gaming as a source of entertainment, a way to stay socially connected and a tool to keep cognitive skills sharp.<\/span><\/p>\n

Not Just Young Men <\/b><\/p>\n

Many assume \u201cgamers\u201d are teen or young adult males who play combat games. It is true that fast-paced, real-time games may be more challenging for older adults, as reaction times slow with age. And young \u201cdigital natives\u201d can learn the ins and outs of games more quickly and adapt more easily to updates and changes. In fact, older adults are less likely to play video games on consoles such as Nintendo Switch or PlayStation Vita\u2014only about 10 percent of those older than 70 own consoles, according to a 2020 AARP study. <\/span><\/p>\n

But there are many gaming options that offer a relatively level playing field for players of all ages, including older adults. There are role-playing games and world-building games, where people create virtual environments and characters. There are sports games, like <\/span>NBA 2K<\/span><\/i>, and simulated racing games, like <\/span>iRacing<\/span><\/i>.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Some video games involve competing in real time against other players via the internet. But other games are turn-based (i.e. players take actions one after the other, rather than all at once, allowing time to think strategically without the pressure of immediate real-time action.) Many games offer the option to play alone, with the goal of \u201cleveling up\u201d or pursuing an objective rather than competing against others. <\/span><\/p>\n

Connecting older adults to games they\u2019ll enjoy is a key goal of LevelUpLand, a program of the Franklin County Office on Aging in Columbus, OH. Its centerpiece is a weekly Senior Gaming Day. Participants 60 and up gather at a game arena to try PC games, console-based games, racing simulators and virtual reality headsets, all with the guidance of trained staff. Participants can also enjoy computer-based and online versions of card and board games. The program regularly attracts participants in their 80s and 90s; a 101-year-old is the oldest participant to date. <\/span><\/p>\n

Participants have formed a community. Many schedule doctors\u2019 appointments around their weekly gaming day. If a regular fails to show up, someone calls to check on him or her. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGaming provides a sense of community and a sense of belonging,\u201d said Melita Moore, MD, founder of Levels Unlocked Enterprises, which partners with Franklin County to offer the program. <\/span><\/p>\n

In role-playing games, an older person\u2019s life experience can be an asset. <\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Discovering the right games to fit his changing skills and interests has kept Ian Russell, 63, involved in gaming throughout his life. His first foray in gaming was in his 20s, playing <\/span>Dungeons and Dragons<\/span><\/i> with a group of friends who are still meeting regularly today. His interest shifted to video games, but as he got older, Russell noticed his reaction skills diminishing, making it harder to compete with younger players in combat and racing games. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour hand-eye coordination is just not as good or as quick when you\u2019re older,\u201d Russell said. \u201cI find I\u2019m less interested in real-time action and more interested in turn-based role-playing games,\u201d which allow him time to consider each move. <\/span><\/p>\n

At the same time, Russell notes, the wisdom of older age sometimes comes in handy in role-playing games. As an example, he has played <\/span>Thief<\/span><\/i>, a game where players navigate a warren of streets in an unfamiliar urban environment, without the benefit of a GPS. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNavigating around a new town is something that I did in the past,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you want to find the center of town, for example, I know that you look for a church spire. So, there\u2019s a lived experience that helps me solve the puzzle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, game developers often don\u2019t design new games with easy access for older adults or newbies in mind. Just a little help from a tech-savvy person can go a long way in getting an older adult started. That\u2019s another key advantage of LevelUpLand. For older adults with mobility challenges, program leaders offer accessibility options, such as an adaptive mouse for those with arthritis. Or they adjust the settings within individual games, such as fine-tuning the speed or changing camera angles to adapt for an older player\u2019s abilities. <\/span><\/p>\n

LevelUpLand also serves as an educational platform to teach cybersecurity and \u201chealthy digital lifestyles.\u201d Older adults who venture online can be vulnerable, with risks, ranging from bullying and \u201ctrash talking\u201d by other competitors, to frauds and scams. LevelUpLand\u2019s online activities take place in secure private chat rooms on Discord, ensuring that scammers don\u2019t have access. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re providing those guardrails so that older adults can be online, play and have fun in a safe environment,\u201d said Chanda Wingo, director of the Office on Aging in Franklin County. <\/span><\/p>\n

Intergenerational Connections <\/b><\/p>\n

For many older adults, competition isn\u2019t the goal. Many say gaming helps connect them with younger people.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vinny Minchillo, 63, plays <\/span>Pok\u00e9mon<\/span><\/i> and other \u201cgrandchild-appropriate\u201d video games with his 6-year-old grandson. Both play on Nintendo Switch consoles\u2014a regular one for Minchillo and a mini version for the grandson. <\/span><\/p>\n

Minchillo also enjoys playing more mature games like <\/span>Assassin\u2019s Creed<\/span><\/i> on PlayStation 5. However, he doesn\u2019t play against other competitors. Instead, he and his wife play collaboratively against the game. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t keep up with everything that\u2019s going on, which I\u2019d need to do to be competitive,\u201d he said. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gaming has also built a bond between Russell and his 25-year-old daughter, especially as she\u2019s developed an interest in \u201cvintage\u201d games.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe has become aware of the video and board games I played 30 years ago and has been buying revamped versions of those games,\u201d he said. \u201cI get a great deal of pleasure from playing them all over again. It\u2019s a massive nostalgia kick.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Older people have become stars in the video-gaming world on YouTube<\/b><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Gaming also opened an unexpected career avenue for Russell. As a voice actor, he has played a host of characters in online role-playing video games, such as Vernon Locke in <\/span>Payday 3<\/span><\/i> and Abelard Werserian in <\/span>Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader<\/span><\/i>. With his booming, mature voice and British accent, Russell is a natural for \u201cthe wise, kindly old uncle\u201d roles, he said with a laugh. His characters have a sizable fan base, most of them young adults, and Russell often converses with them via platforms like Reddit and X. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI get messages occasionally from young people who say, \u2018This game helped me through a difficult time in my life,\u2019\u201d he said.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Russell is far from the only older star in the video-gaming world. A few years ago, Lenovo sponsored the Silver Snipers, a team of over-60 gamers who competed in esports tournaments. There\u2019s Shirley Curry, 89, aka \u201cGamer Grandma,\u201d who built a following of 900,000 YouTube subscribers who watched video walk-throughs of her plays on <\/span>The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim<\/span><\/i>, a role-playing game. And Michelle Statham, aka \u201cTacticalGramma,\u201d a 57-year-old grandmother who loves first-person shooter games. She calls her followers her \u201cgrandkids.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

When she started posting, Statham assumed no one would watch, but younger players gravitated toward her friendly, supportive online persona. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost people think that older people don\u2019t play games or don\u2019t like games,\u201d she said. \u201cBeing an older female has helped me stand out.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Staying Sharp Cognitively<\/b><\/p>\n

Research in recent decades has boosted awareness of gaming\u2019s effects on older brains. A number of studies suggest that older people who played video games regularly showed significant improvement in cognitive functions, depressive symptoms, sleep quality and anxiety. One theory posits that video games may simulate novel environments, which are associated with improved memory. In one study, participants ages 60 to 80 played <\/span>Angry Birds<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Super Mario<\/span><\/i> for 30 to 45 minutes per day for four weeks. The video game players showed improved memory compared to a control group that played a card game, <\/span>Solitaire<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Further research is needed to tease out what types of video games might best support cognitive function. But according to research by the Entertainment Software Association, almost 90 percent of boomer and Silent Generation players cited \u201cusing my brain\/keeping my mind sharp\u201d as a key reason why they play video games, compared to just one in five Gen Z and millennials. <\/span><\/p>\n

And while some research suggests that extensive \u201cscreen time\u201d may be harmful for young brains, engagement in technology seems to benefit older people\u2019s brains. One recent analysis found that people over 50 who used computers, smartphones, the internet or a mix did better on cognitive tests, with lower rates of cognitive impairment or dementia diagnoses, compared to those who used technology less often or avoided it altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n

Regardless of the research, many gamers are certain their game play boosts their cognitive function. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA thousand percent,\u201d said Minchillo. \u201cMy PS5 controller has about a dozen different buttons and different combinations of buttons that do different things. To process all the information that’s coming at you very quickly and to respond to it in the appropriate manner\u2014I think it’s great for my brain.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Video games have always been part of Shawn Etheridge\u2019s life. His interest was first sparked as a young teen, when he toted rolls of quarters to a nearby mall to play arcade games like Pong. As a young adult, as…<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Gaming: A Way to Exercise Older Brains<\/span> ›<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

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