Gaming: A Way to Exercise Older Brains

Video games have always been part of Shawn Etheridge’s 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 technology evolved, he began playing games like Call of Duty on his personal computer. Later, he even began playing online with his grandchildren, who chortled “Pop Pop” each time they spotted his avatar on the screen, leading Etheridge to adopt “2Pop” as his screen name. 

Now, at age 64, Etheridge unwinds after work each night by playing Halo 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. 

“The more you play, the more proficient you get, and I’ve got to believe that helps with cognition,” he said. 

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. 

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’s a lifelong passion or a new endeavor, many older adults are discovering—or rediscovering—gaming as a source of entertainment, a way to stay socially connected and a tool to keep cognitive skills sharp.

Not Just Young Men 

Many assume “gamers” 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 “digital natives” 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—only about 10 percent of those older than 70 own consoles, according to a 2020 AARP study. 

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 NBA 2K, and simulated racing games, like iRacing.  

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 “leveling up” or pursuing an objective rather than competing against others. 

Connecting older adults to games they’ll 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. 

Participants have formed a community. Many schedule doctors’ appointments around their weekly gaming day. If a regular fails to show up, someone calls to check on him or her. 

“Gaming provides a sense of community and a sense of belonging,” said Melita Moore, MD, founder of Levels Unlocked Enterprises, which partners with Franklin County to offer the program. 

In role-playing games, an older person’s life experience can be an asset. 

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 Dungeons and Dragons 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. 

“Your hand-eye coordination is just not as good or as quick when you’re older,” Russell said. “I find I’m less interested in real-time action and more interested in turn-based role-playing games,” which allow him time to consider each move. 

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 Thief, a game where players navigate a warren of streets in an unfamiliar urban environment, without the benefit of a GPS. 

“Navigating around a new town is something that I did in the past,” he said. “If you want to find the center of town, for example, I know that you look for a church spire. So, there’s a lived experience that helps me solve the puzzle.”

However, game developers often don’t 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’s 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’s abilities. 

LevelUpLand also serves as an educational platform to teach cybersecurity and “healthy digital lifestyles.” Older adults who venture online can be vulnerable, with risks, ranging from bullying and “trash talking” by other competitors, to frauds and scams. LevelUpLand’s online activities take place in secure private chat rooms on Discord, ensuring that scammers don’t have access. 

“We’re providing those guardrails so that older adults can be online, play and have fun in a safe environment,” said Chanda Wingo, director of the Office on Aging in Franklin County. 

Intergenerational Connections 

For many older adults, competition isn’t the goal. Many say gaming helps connect them with younger people.

Vinny Minchillo, 63, plays Pokémon and other “grandchild-appropriate” video games with his 6-year-old grandson. Both play on Nintendo Switch consoles—a regular one for Minchillo and a mini version for the grandson. 

Minchillo also enjoys playing more mature games like Assassin’s Creed on PlayStation 5. However, he doesn’t play against other competitors. Instead, he and his wife play collaboratively against the game. 

“I don’t keep up with everything that’s going on, which I’d need to do to be competitive,” he said. 

Gaming has also built a bond between Russell and his 25-year-old daughter, especially as she’s developed an interest in “vintage” games.

“She has become aware of the video and board games I played 30 years ago and has been buying revamped versions of those games,” he said. “I get a great deal of pleasure from playing them all over again. It’s a massive nostalgia kick.” 

Older people have become stars in the video-gaming world on YouTube

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 Payday 3 and Abelard Werserian in Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. With his booming, mature voice and British accent, Russell is a natural for “the wise, kindly old uncle” 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. 

“I get messages occasionally from young people who say, ‘This game helped me through a difficult time in my life,’” he said.  

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’s Shirley Curry, 89, aka “Gamer Grandma,” who built a following of 900,000 YouTube subscribers who watched video walk-throughs of her plays on The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, a role-playing game. And Michelle Statham, aka “TacticalGramma,” a 57-year-old grandmother who loves first-person shooter games. She calls her followers her “grandkids.” 

When she started posting, Statham assumed no one would watch, but younger players gravitated toward her friendly, supportive online persona. 

“Most people think that older people don’t play games or don’t like games,” she said. “Being an older female has helped me stand out.” 

Staying Sharp Cognitively

Research in recent decades has boosted awareness of gaming’s 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 Angry Birds and Super Mario 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, Solitaire.

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 “using my brain/keeping my mind sharp” as a key reason why they play video games, compared to just one in five Gen Z and millennials. 

And while some research suggests that extensive “screen time” may be harmful for young brains, engagement in technology seems to benefit older people’s 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.

Regardless of the research, many gamers are certain their game play boosts their cognitive function. 

“A thousand percent,” said Minchillo. “My 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—I think it’s great for my brain.”