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There has been a new surge of brain fitness software and retirement communities competing to offer brain fitness gyms, equipped with such computer programs. While the benefits of such activities on the aging minds is valuable in itself, one has to take a more holistic approach towards one’s overall health. With this perspective, such activities to keep the brain alert are to be used in addition to physical activities; but not as a substitute to physical activities. Mark Miller of RetirementRevised has a great post here on this topic.  Here are some examples of the latest trend in engaging elders using Wii enabled games.

In his post, Mark quotes Merz Nordstrom, the author of the book, ‘Learning Later, Living Greater: The Secret for Making the Most of Your After-50 Years’ and a director for the ElderHostel and highlights the importance of Lifelong Learning and education in keeping one’s brain and mind active and engaged. No doubt, this is a great post on the topic I have seen around so far.  

But I think both viewpoints have their place in senior health. While Boomers and their seniors in their 60’s and 70’s would be able to engage in travel and continuing education and thus could keep themselves more engaged, active and fit; their parents that may be in their 90’s can hardly think of extended travel or any kind of serious physical activity. When their life is constrained to the limited world of their retirement community and the limited number of people they routinely interact with, such brain fitness software exercises or the Wii enabled games such as Wii Bowling, etc enable them to extend their activity and benefit their health. There are two broad ways this can benefit elders, first, as they engage in such activity and exercise their brains, their brains work harder to stay engaged, active and healthy. The second benefit is that it helps them recollect and relive their good times in the past and enable them to step out of their present physical limitations; it helps them to engage in something more fun, more interesting than their normal daily problems; it gives them something to look forward to in those mostly solitary years. But as Mark points out, a good balance is a must. One must strive to mix the mental exercising with as much physical activity as possible, but not as a substitute to physical activity.