Brains, Balance and Active Aging
Fact: Every hour of every day, 330 Americans turn 60.
Fact: By 2030, one in five Americans will be older than 65. (Check out our "Active, Older Brains")
Fact: The number of people over 100 doubles every decade.
Fact: As they age, people lose muscle mass and strength, flexibility and bone.
Fact: The resulting frailty leads to a loss of mobility and independence.
Each of us can turn the discouraging nature of those last two facts into a positive (and fun) fintess habit. Play more games on your computer - but play then actively. Regular participation in aerobics, strength, balance, agility and flexibility exercises can delay and may even prevent a life-limiting loss of physical abilities into one’s 90s and beyond. The time has never been better for a quick check with your physician to determine if FootGaming is appropriate then logging onto your computer with your FootPOWR peripheral plugged in and ready to go.
More cool facts!
- Among older adults 65+ who play video games, nearly a third play games everyday, a significantly larger percentage than all younger players, of whom about 20% play everyday.
- Computers are the most popular among the total adult gaming population, with 73% of adult gamers using computers to play games, compared with 53% console users, 35% who using cell phones, and 25% using portable gaming devices.
- The over-55 age range grew 43%.
- With FootGaming you can gain plenty of health benefits along with your favorite games.
Sixty-one percent of more than 350 senior-living and older-adult centers surveyed intend to purchase some form of computer-generated or "exergame" in the next two years, according to a November poll from the International Council on Active Aging. Another 38% were considering buying brain fitness software.Video games aren't just for kids and couch potatoes anymore. They're increasingly being used to motivate people of all ages to move their bodies and manage their chronic health conditions more effectively.
As well as preventing falls balance training should improve confidence and with that confidence you might be more likely to maintain healthy levels of physical activity, which in turn will help to enhance your balance control. Not only that - your grand children will think you're really "with it."
Based on research on aging brains, various research indicates that playing action games may be better at preventing cognitive decline than “brain fitness” programs. It’s not that puzzles and brain teasers are ineffective, but rather that casual and other computer games are infinitely more engaging and far more likely to keep the user playing over weeks or months. So, the news is good: spend some time with your computer and a FootPOWR peripheral… you won’t have to feel guilty, because you’ll be stimulating your brain, improving your cognitive skills, and maybe even staving off the effects of dementia or Alzheimers. But we needn't be dramatic - it's also lots of fun. Fun and play have more value than we usually give credit for.
Recently I was delighted to experience a thorough explanation of how and why physical activity can help our brains focus and be most productive. My "teachers" were a team of 4th graders who use a slide show called "Brainy Stuff" to guide us through the lesson. You will be amazed at what they taught. Take 5 minutes and cruise the slide show yourself. Research has shown that exercise increases cognitive and brain function, enhances learning, can boost memory, and wards off neurodegenerative diseases. For a great summary of this you may want to read the book SPARK by Dr. John Ratey. http://www.johnratey.com You don't need to run a marathon to oxygenate your brain. Simple stepping while enjoying computer games and software works really well.
We have designed a LOGGING TOOL that automatically tracks every one of your FootGaming steps so you can watch your mileage and calorie loss grow. There is a summary of that added benefit here.
