Premier Senior Living...
Because it's how you live that Matters

Senior Assisted Living Blog

Videogames: How They Have Helped My Father's Memory

- Thursday, July 08, 2010

I was reading an article the other day about videogame systems and how they help people with memory disorders. One game in particular, the "Brain Training" game, was developed at the Uchida Hospital in Kyoto.  The game system offers a host of number games, word puzzles and reading exercises. I dug further into it and found that the Uchida Hospital (who specializes in all forms of dementia research) made the gaming consoles available to patients. Within one year, patients realized on average a 42% increase in brain activity.

So video games aren't just for children.   I suggested to Dad that we give video games a try.  He balked at first, but has come to really appreciate video games.  Computer cross word puzzles have become his favorite.  He finds the computer screen easier to read than paper and he no longer has to wear our pencil erasers.  Best of all, he's now spending less time idly watching T.V. in lieu of meaningful mental exercise.  And that's good medicine for all of us.