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DS Game Could Stave off Dementia
Gamasutra reports that a hospital in Japan has begun renting out DSes and suggesting the title Brain Training to older patients, in an effort to stave off dementia. From the article: "Sixty-seven year old retiree Isamu Shishido is quoted as saying, 'I don't want to end up some crazy old man. I want to play a little everyday before going to bed.' Neurosurgeon Dr Takeshi Kihara comments that, 'The game won't cure dementia. But it's a good form of stimulation, especially for old people living alone.'"
Nintendo knows what it's doing. Lots of rich oldies to tap into!
Whoa, hang on a minute. I really think your statistics are baseless. I would contend that there is a very large body of older and retired people who lead very active lives in the UK, doing all the things you mention of the US inhabitants, and more. Yes, of course there are some older people who have started to find it difficult to do as much as they would like, or for whatever reason have drawn themselves into their shells and do little but watch TV and play bingo, but to extrapolate from this that 90% of the UK's older population has the intellectual capacity of a turnip is a little extreme. Am I to infer that because a large percentage of people under the age of twenty eat regularly at McBurgers and the like, hardly a sensible lifestyle choice,that 90% of all younger people have the brain capacity of a turnip as well?
Hell, I live in the UK and went to play Bingo a couple of times not so long ago (long story, not interesting, let's leave it at that) and I tell you, those grannies (I don't think there was a single grandpa in the place) must be popping some serious amphetamines.
The speed they were calling out the numbers was too much for me - a young and agile 33 year old - and I was only playing four cards. Some of them were playing a dozen or more at once!
By the time she's bought the necessary drugs and paid for their bingo cards, it's no wonder grandma can't afford to eat on what little pension she gets.