"You Think You Are Too Old to Play?" Playing Games and Aging

• Authors: Małgorzata Bronikowska , Michał Bronikowski , Nadja Schott
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Health deteriorates with age due to hormonal changes and reduced physical, mental and social activity. In turn, this deterioration can lead to a wide range of problems including a fear of undertaking any forms of physical movements. Reports from exercise-based studies indicate there might be considerable improvement with appropriately programmed exercise workloads. However, the lasting effect of such programmes seem to be doubtful as a lot of the elderly drop out along the way, sensing it to be too "organized" and too stressful. Therefore, we claim that some traditional games, as a form of physical activity, can serve its role in engaging elderly adults. They do not require high level of specialization and technical perfection and may also be useful as a form of physiotherapy, particularly with elderly individuals who suffer age- and health-related problems.Play as a form of physical, playful activity is essential for healthy development of any individual as it seems to facilitate the linkages of language, emotion, movement, socialization and cognition. As a movement activity, it is a rather free-spirit activity that makes a positive difference in brain development and human functioning. Although rooted in biological aspects of life, play needs to be associated with cultural aspects of human development. Especially with the elderly population, this social and also cognitive stimulation is sometimes more important than physical. So in our paper we ask: what potentially positive effects can a traditional play/game have on the elderly people?Since there has been no research on the health-related effectiveness of such games, in this article we will highlight this problem from a number of different angles as a proposal for various community-based exercise programmes. This will allow us to design and adapt those games, specially to the health needs and social interests of this particular section of the population. It is also meant to serve as a proposal for potential future research.

Keywords

EN

aging; traditional games; health benefits; play

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Human Movement
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 24-30

Dates

published

1 - 3 - 2011

online

14 - 3 - 2011

Contributors

author

Małgorzata Bronikowska

• Department of Olympism and Ethnology of Sport, University School of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland

author

Michał Bronikowski

• Department of Methodology of Teaching Physical Education, University School of Physical Education, Poznań, Poland

author

Nadja Schott

• Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgard, Germany

References

• Berlin Institut für Bevölkerung und Entwicklung (Hrsg.), Die demographische Zukunft von Europa. Wie sich Regionen verändern. dtv, München 2008. ISBN-10:3423345098
• Ferrucci L., Giallauria F., Guralnik J. M., Epidemiology of aging. Radiol Clin N Am, 2008, 46, 643-652. DOI: 10.1016/j.rcl.2008.07.005.[Crossref][WoS]
• Spirduso W., Francis K. L., MacRae P. G., Physical dimensions of aging. 2nd ed. Human Kinetics, Champaign 2005.
• O'Brien Cousins S., Grounding theory in self-referent thinking: Conceptualizing motivation for older adult physical activity. Psychol Sport Exerc, 2003, 4, 81-100. DOI: 10.1016/S1469-0292(01)00030-9.[Crossref]
• Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Active People Survey, 2007, Available from: URL:
• Andreyeva T., Sturm R., Physical activity and changes in health care costs in late middle age. J Phys Activity Health, 2006, 3, 6-19.
• Ettinger W. H. Jr., Burns R., Messier S. P., Applegate W., Rejeski J., Morgan T. et al., A randomized trial comparing aerobic exercise and resistance exercise with a health education program in older adults with knee osteoarthritis. The Fitness Arthritis and Seniors Trial (FAST). JAMA, 1997, 277, 25-31.
• Manini T. M., Marko M., Van Arnam T., Cook S., Fernhall B., Burke J. et al., Efficacy of resistance and task-specific exercise in older adults who modify tasks of everyday life. J Gerontol Med Sci, 2007, 62, 616-623. DOI: 10.1136/bjsm.2008.053736.[WoS][Crossref]
• Pahor M., Blair S. N., Espeland M., Fielding R., Gill T. M., Guralnik J. M. et al., Effects of a physical activity intervention on measures of physical performance: Results of the lifestyle interventions and independence for Elders Pilot (LIFE-P) study. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, 2006, 61, 1157-1165.[PubMed]
• Craik F. I. M., Bialystok E., Cognition through the lifespan: Mechanisms of change. Trends Cogn Sci, 2006, 10, 131-138. DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2006.01.007.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Park D. C., Reuter-Lorenz P. A., The adaptive brain: Aging and neurocognitive scaffolding. Annu Rev Psychol, 2009, 60, 173-196.[WoS][Crossref][PubMed]
• Horn J. L., The theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence in relation to concepts of cognitive psychology and aging in adulthood. In: Craik F. I. M., Trehub S. E. (eds.), Aging and cognitive processes. Plenum Press, New York 1982, 847-870.
• Horn J. L., Cattell R. B., Refinement and test of the theory of fluid and crystallized general intelligences. J Educ Psychol, 1966, 57, 253-270.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Baltes P. B., Staudinger U. M., Lindenberger U., Lifespan psychology: Theory and application to intellectual functioning. Annual Review of Psychology, 1999, 50, 471-507.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Horn J. L., Hofer S. M., Major abilities and development in the adult period. In: Sternberg R. J., Berg C. A. (eds.), Intellectual development. Cambridge University Press, New York 1992, 44-99.
• Salthouse T. A., Theories of cognition. In: Bengston V. L., Schaie K. W. (eds.), Handbook of theories of aging. Springer, New York 1999, 196-208.
• Zimprich D., Martin M., Can longitudinal changes in processing speed explain longitudinal age changes in fluid intelligence? Psychol Aging, 2002, 17, 690-695. DOI: 10.1037/0882-7974.17.4.690.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Daniels K. A., Toth J. P., Jacoby L. L., The aging of executive functions. In: Bialystok E., Craik F. I. M. (eds.), Lifespan cognition: Mechanisms of change. Oxford University Press, New York 2006, 96-111.
• Lustig C., Hasher L., Tonev S. T., Inhibitory control over the present and the past. Eur J Cogn Psychol, 2001, 13, 107-122. DOI: 10.1080/09541440042000241.[Crossref]
• Park D. C., Payer D., Working memory across the adult lifespan. In: Craik F. I. M., Bialystok E. (eds.), Lifespan cognition: Mechanisms of change. Oxford University Press, New York 2006, 128-142.
• Meade M. L., Park D., Enhancing cognitive function in older adults. In: Chodzko Zajko W., Kramer A., Poon L. W. (eds.), Enhancing cognitive functioning and brain plasticity. Human Kinetics, Champaign 2009, 35-47.
• Kramer A. F., Hillman C. H., Aging, physical activity, and neurocognitive function. In: Acevado E., Ekkekakis P. (eds.), Psychobiology of Physical Activity. Human Kinetics, Champaign 2006, 45-59.
• Fabre C., Chamari K., Mucci P., Massé-Biron J., Préfaut C., Improvement of cognitive function by mental and/or individualized aerobic training in healthy elderly subjects. Int J Sports Med, 2002, 23, 415-421. DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-33735.[PubMed][Crossref]
• van Uffelen J. G., Chin A Paw M. J., Hopman-Rock M., van Mechelen W., The effects of exercise on cognition in older adults with and without cognitive decline. A systematic review. Clin J Sport Med, 2008, 18, 486-500. DOI: 10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181b9d86a.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Blazer D. G., How do you feel about…? Health Outcomes in Late Life and Self-Perceptions of Health and Well-Being. Gerontologist, 2008, 48, 415-422.[Crossref]
• Victor C. R., Scambler S. J., Bowling A., Bond J., The prevalence of, and risk factors for, loneliness in later life: a survey of older people in Great Britain. Ageing & Society, 2005, 25, 357-375. DOI: 10.1017/S0144686X04003332.[WoS][Crossref]
• Green A. F., Rebok G., Lyketsos C. G., Influence of social network characteristics on cognition and functional status with aging. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry, 2008, 23 (9), 972-978. DOI: 10.1002/gps.2023.[Crossref][PubMed][WoS]
• Sampson E. L., Bulpitt C. J., Fletcher A. E., Survival of community-dwelling older people: the effect of cognitive impairment and social engagement. J Am Geriatr Soc, 2009, 57 (6), 985-991. DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2009.02265.x.[Crossref][PubMed]
• Uchino B. N., Social support and health: A review of physiological processes potentially underlying links to disease outcomes. J Behav Med, 2006, 29, 377-387. DOI: 10.1007/s10865-006-9056-5.[Crossref]
• World Health Organization, The Heidelberg Guidelines for promoting physical activity among older persons, 1996. Retrieved June 15, 2006, from
• Stathi A., Fox K. R., McKenna J., Physical activity and dimensions of subjective well-being in older adults. J Aging Phys Act, 2002, 10, 76-92.
• Cabeza R., Daselaar S. M., Dolcos F., Prince S. E., Budde M., Nyberg L., Task-independent and task-specific age effects on brain activity during working memory, visual attention and episodic retrieval. Cereb Cortex, 2004, 14, 364-375. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhg133.[Crossref][PubMed]
• Voelker-Rehage C., Motor skill learning in older adults - a review of studies on age-related differences. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act, 2008, 5, 5-16. DOI: 10.1007/s11556-008-0030-9.[Crossref][WoS]
• Kennedy K. M., Partridge T., Raz N., Age-Related Differences in Acquisition of Perceptual-Motor Skills: Working Memory as a Mediator. Aging Neuropsychol Cogn, 2008, 15 (2), 165-183. DOI: 10.1037/a0015377.[WoS][Crossref]
• Rowe J. W., Kahn R. L., Successful aging. Gerontologist, 1997, 37(4), 433-440. DOI: 10.1093/geront/37.4.433.[PubMed][Crossref]
• Frost J. L., Neuroscience, Play and Child Development. Paper presented by the IPA/USA Triennial National Conference, 1998, ERIC Document 427 845, PS 027 328.
• Lipoński W., World Sport Encyclopedia. Atena, Poznań 2003.
• Vertinksy P., Stereotypes of aging women and exercise: a historical perspective. J Aging Phys Act, 1995, 3, 223-237.
• Grant B. C., "You're never too old": beliefs about physical activity and playing sport in later life. Ageing Soc, 2001, 21, 777-798.
• Hillman, C. H., Erickson, K. I., Kramer, A. F., Be smart, exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nat Rev Neurosci, 2008, 9 (1), 58-65. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2298.[Crossref][PubMed]
• Satarino W., Haight T., Tager I., Reasons given by older people for limitation of leisure time physical activity. J Am Geriatr Soc, 2000, 48, 505-512.
• Schneider S., Huy C., Schuessler M., Diehl K., Schwarz S., Optimising lifestyle intervention: identification of health behaviour patterns by cluster analysis in a German 50+ survey. Eur J Public Health, 2008. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckn144 [accessed on 26.08.2009].[WoS][Crossref]
• Cardenas D., Henderson K. A., Wilson B. E., Physical activity and senior games participation: Benefits, constraints and behaviors. J Aging Phys Act, 2009, 17, 135-153.[PubMed]

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/v10038-010-0030-2