Some Smart Persons Who Agree with Me!

© Imelda Maurer, cdp September 8, 2015
ilmcdp@yahoo.com

There has been much written over the last several years about the promising role of technology in improving the quality of life in our later years.

The mad dash began some ten years ago or less with software companies touting brain health and brain fitness for elders through the use of their computer games.  I never really believed in the effectiveness of this approach, though I did observe elders in a retirement center some years back eagerly going through the progression of computer-based exercises and clearly feeling a sense of accomplishment.

Now we know the following:  A Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School Special Report concludes that “people who play these games might get better at the tasks they practice while playing, but the games don’t seem to improve users’ overall brain skills, such as attention, memory, use of language, and ability to navigate.”

What is a more effective way to maintain brain fitness? Gene Cohen in his book “The Mature Mind” points to research from the National Institute on Aging showing that the following are the most successful ways to maintain normal memory and overall brain fitness:  engaging in new activities and hobbies, reading, maintaining social relationships, and engaging in healthy physical exercise – that 30-minute walk several times a week.

A second way in which technology is presented is in the context of improving care for older adults.  There are so many types of monitors on the market, for example, that promise this ‘better life.’ After critiquing a few popular high-tech approaches to elder health care, Dr. Ken Covinsky, UCSF School of Medicine says this in today’s post at geripal.org: “My advice to entrepreneurs and venture capitalists:  Think high touch before high tech.  What kinds of innovations will actually improve the quality of life of older people and make them feel better and promote social engagement?  Think about this question before even thinking about technology.  Then and only then, think about how your technology can promote high touch.  Technology that promotes high touch is where the real innovation may lie-and your chance to prove us skeptics wrong."

High touch over high tech any day!