Cognitive Effects of Videogames on Older People

Resumo

In these days the percentage of older people in the population is growing worldwide. It is therefore urgent to decrease the morbidity resulting from biopsychosocial losses associated with old age. In this study we studied the cognitive effects of videogames on the elderly people. And we also studied these effects on self-concept and on the quality of life. Old people shows to be able to use videogames as well as to like to use it. Although they faced some difficulties using key board and mousse. They show to prefer games without time challenge and without fast and exact movements. They also show to prefer videogames with a real story behind the play activity. The results show that the use of videogames leads to the improvement of cognitive functioning and to the maintenance of the self-concept and the quality of life of elderly people.