I’ve written previously about the ability for games to help us retain our mental agility as we age, so new research from the University of Edinburgh was of particular interest.  The study explored how board games can influence our cognitive capabilities as we age, and found that people who played such games in their 70s performed much better on a range of memory and thinking tests than their non-playing peers.

The researchers tested around 1,000 70 year olds for things such as memory, thinking speed and problem solving.  The tests were then repeated every three years until the volunteers were 79.  In addition to the tests, the volunteers were quizzed on their gaming habits, with various lifestyle factors, such as socioeconomic status, physical activity levels and overall education also taken into account.

The results suggest that people who managed to increase their game playing experienced less decline in their mental capabilities into their seventies, including in areas such as memory function and thinking speed.

Cognitive agility

The researchers hope that their findings may help us to ensure we age in as healthy a way as possible, especially in terms of our cognitive health.  It offers the potential of a low-cost intervention to preserve our thinking skills as we get older.

“These latest findings add to evidence that being more engaged in activities during the life course might be associated with better thinking skills in later life,” the researchers say. “For those in their 70s or beyond, another message seems to be that playing non-digital games may be a positive behaviour in terms of reducing cognitive decline.”

The ravages of age are something that we are all vulnerable to, and maintaining our cognitive capabilities as we get older is crucial to our ability to age healthily and maintain a good quality of life.  The playing of board games is a low cost, yet seemingly effective, intervention, that promises not only to improve our mental faculties, but may also provide social activities that buffer the risks of loneliness.

Board game evenings are increasingly common, and I’ve been to several with friends over the past few months, so perhaps it will not be long before dedicated events targeted towards older people are launched, if they’re not already.