Studies show that video games that encourage physical activity also help with depression, sense of place and relevancy. At the Gerontological Society of America’s Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans late last year, Patricia Kahlbaugh, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Southern Connecticut State University presented a study that showed that even just a few sessions with the Wii led to improved balance, coordination and strength, and could help prevent falls among elders.
Further research by Kahlbaugh has shown that these games are also proving to help with depression, sense of place and relevancy. They may even help bridge generational divides.
By recreating the experience of sports they once enjoyed, researchers say that also brings back the same feelings and emotions they experienced back then.
The University of California, San Diego School of Medicine conducted a study on seniors with depression. More than one-third of participants who played Wii games reported a 50 percent or greater reduction of depressive symptoms.
Said Kahlbaugh quoting her father, “The trick of getting older successfully is finding out how to stay relevant.”
Exactly. Having purpose and relevance as you age is one of the eight points I cover in The Meaning of Life keynote I give to people. People with purpose live longer.
Source: Aylin Zafar, The Atlantic