Aging and play - More excitement, less isolation, courage

"We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw

Thirty-seven percent of people aged over 75 live alone. Their independence suffers from deteriorating coordination and balance, and moving becomes a slower and slower process. As much as 41 percent of elderly people deliberately avoid moving for fear of taking a fall. The resulting isolation and loneliness can lead to severe depression and even suicide. A number of studies have shown that daily stimulating “play”, such as filling in crossword puzzles or playing chess, reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

Lappset has enrolled the help of several academic institutions to study the possibilities of playgrounds designed for elderly people. The findings are encouraging: the elderly people who sampled the playground (In Finnish leikkialue) reported improvement in their balance – which is a key element of the physical fitness of elderly people – agility, mood and courage to leave the house on their own. Being able to spend time with their grandchildren at the same time is an added bonus. Regular physical activity promotes health amongst the elderly, which in turn benefits the national economy and public health.

Did you know that...

Richard Faull, professor at Auckland University, studies Huntington’s disease. He believes that playing encourages the brain to produce new cells and to repair itself.