There is a global aging population and increasing generation gap
between the grandparents or parents and children. World population
for aged 60 years or over is expected to reach 22 percent in 2050.
The problem of increasing population of the elderly brings along
many socio-economic issues. For example, the elderly require
increased health care for both mental and physical problems. Many of
these problems derive from social isolation and lack of activity.
Social interactions are proven to be essential for the enjoyment of
life. On average, compared with someone with the
lowest activity level, the risk of Alzheimer's disease was 47% lower for those whose frequency of
activity was highest.
Singapore, as in many countries around the world, has a rapidly
aging population and the trend shows that the family is a strong
source of financial and emotional support to the elderly. According
to Census data, the majority of those aged 65 years and above lived
with their children and grandchildren.
With the increasing use of technology in contemporary culture, there
is a huge gap between youth and elderly in respect to acceptance and
skill levels. Present technology does not often allow the
facilitation of family entertainment. Most children greatly enjoy
playing computer games and most of them do not like to take part in
more elderly-style games such as chess games or fishing.
However, findings from scientific research studies show that playing
video games can lead to changes in an individual's pleasure,
arousal, dominance, and/or affiliative behavior. Furthermore, elderly
enjoy computer gaming experience. Participation in
an activity helps elderly to feel better and healthier as they
recognize their ability to move and create something which is
important to produce a sense of health. It is worth
while to investigate how we could use digital technology to improve
on the wellfare of the elderly through social interaction, physical
activity and entertainment.
