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Cognitive Benefits of Digital Games for Older Adults
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, Simon Fraser University, Canada ; , Teleuniversite de Quebec, Canada ; , Universite de Quebec a Montreal, Canada ; , University of Ottawa, Canada

EdMedia + Innovate Learning, in Tampere, Finland ISBN 978-1-939797-08-7 Publisher: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE), Waynesville, NC

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Abstract

Maintaining older adults’ vitality, independence and quality of life well into old age helps both older adults themselves and their societies. There is evidence to suggest that technology can provide people with meaningful and engaging activities that are stimulating, enjoyable and fun. In particular, technology-based games promise many benefits to older adults, but research evidence is sparse about whether and how these can be realized. This paper describes some key results regarding gameplay patterns and cognitive benefits reported from an early survey of 463 Canadian older adults who play digital games. The results demonstrate that numerous older adults are actively playing digital games on a regular basis. The majority of players reported cognitive skill increases, with a greater percentage of intermediate compared to beginner players reporting increases. These results are encouraging and promising for using digital games to enhance older adults’ aging processes.

Citation

Kaufman, D., Sauve, L., Renaud, L. & Duplaa, E. (2014). Cognitive Benefits of Digital Games for Older Adults. In J. Viteli & M. Leikomaa (Eds.), Proceedings of EdMedia 2014--World Conference on Educational Media and Technology (pp. 289-297). Tampere, Finland: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE). Retrieved June 6, 2023 from .

© 2014 Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

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References

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