Summary

The website content discusses the potential of gamification as a tool for enhancing cognitive abilities and memory, particularly in older individuals, and its application in various aspects of life, including education, work, and personal development.

Abstract

The article "Gamification: The Key to Combating Forgetfulness" explores the concept of using games and game-like elements to stimulate cognitive functions and potentially combat memory loss. It suggests that engaging in brain games, such as mobile apps, word puzzles, and strategic games, can contribute to maintaining and improving memory and cognitive reserves, especially in the context of aging and diseases like dementia and Alzheimer's. The piece also highlights the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of online mobile games, their role in stress relief and time management, and their ability to incentivize productivity through gamified task completion. Furthermore, the article touches on the integration of gamification in educational settings to aid learning, particularly for those with special needs, and in corporate environments to motivate employees. It concludes by mentioning specific brain-training apps and services designed to enhance cognitive skills and points out the importance of taking care of our brains, emphasizing that gamification can be a valuable approach to doing so.

Opinions

The author believes that playing games, especially those that challenge the brain, is advantageous for mental health and cognitive function.
There is an opinion that online mobile games are a practical and accessible means for people of all ages and demographics to engage in brain-stimulating activities.
The article posits that game-based learning can be beneficial across various fields, including education and the corporate world, by fostering engagement and motivation.
The author expresses that gamification can serve as a form of positive reinforcement and can be effectively used to make daily tasks more enjoyable and rewarding.
The piece suggests that the long-term cognitive and social effects of gaming are still being studied, but current evidence points towards positive outcomes.
It is implied that gamification is not only a method for entertainment but also a serious approach to improving cognitive abilities and memory retention, particularly as we age.

Gamification: The Key to Combating Forgetfulness

Like many adults, I possess a smartphone.

Like many adults, I might sometimes fall into the trap of playing a small mobile game or two. It is fleeting, as it lasts a few minutes, and I walk out of the situation feeling a bit calmer.

For many, including older individuals, such games could be the key of boosting and/or maintaining one’s memory, particularly against potential enemies like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Therefore, playing games is an advantageous self-care mechanism.

Photo by Rodion Kutsaev on Unsplash — Behold: the glorious beauty of the smartphone.

What are Brain Games?

According to Harvard Health and Mental Floss, brain games are any kind of activity that stimulate us to think creatively and critically, including, but not limited to:

Word games like Scrabble, jigsaws, chess, Sudoku, and crosswords
Playing an instrument
Video games that encourage multitasking
Learning a new language
Painting and drawing, including neon digital art

Photo by Zui Hoang on Unsplash — What? I love neon digital art.

Despite the many recorded benefits of gaming, the long-term social and cognitive effects are underway. In the meantime, we do know that game-based learning can help:

Stimulate your brain, even in old age
Strengthen and enhance cognitive reserves for a future rainy day
Improve math-related skills in children
Foster reliable short-term memory, particularly in seniors
Builds confidence in leadership, social skills, and negotiation
Improve overall multi-tasking ability
Reduce the severity of Alzheimer’s and dementia

Photo by Max Andrey on Unsplash — Imagine how liberated she feels.

Why Online Gaming?

Since we are in the future, it makes sense of take advantage of online mobile games. I point this out for the following reasons:

It is accessible across any age, demographic, and/or geographic region
It is usually free or cheap versus obtaining a physical game
It can be a source of immediate stress relief, despite a heavy schedule, fostering better time management
It is interactive, engaging, and immersive, even if in the era of social distancing
It can also incentivise current work projects

For example, if you’re bored and wanted to complete a task quickly, gamification can bolster one’s motivation to succeed.

Photo by Max Andrey on Unsplash — Perhaps she feels more motivated.

You can gamify tasks by:

Attaching rewards to ongoing daily activities, through positive reinforcement
Creating a points system for yourself when good behaviour is achieved
Engaging in time-based challenges that push you to your limit

However, we can also utilize various productivity apps to do the dirty work instead. For more detailed information on the various productivity apps you could use, please visit this website.

Photo by 甜心之枪 Sweetgun on Unsplash — Game on, my friend.

Gamification at Work and School

It’s amazing that there are gamified apps across many fields.

In the field of education, gamification is sometimes used to teach kids novel concepts, including those who have special learning needs. For more information specific to educators, please visit these articles from SpecialEdTech and Edutopia.

Plus, corporate workplaces are starting to use gamification too, to help motivate employees to work harder. For more detailed examples to help support your team, please visit these articles from DigitalHRTech and RacoonGang.

Photo by Sean Do on Unsplash — I’m going to pretend that this guy is using gamified learning.

What are Some Normal Brain Games?

According to Mark Huntsman on Alzheimers.net, gamified learning can capitalize on our cognitive resources, even if you play games and/or puzzles for a few minutes at a time.

He listed some of these websites/apps, particularly for seniors in mind:

Luminosity: app that contains an ever-expanding list of games to help with working memory and attentional span.
Dakim: a so-called “brain fitness program” where you access 100 brain-related modules to improve concentration and attention.
Brain Metrix: web service portal that houses IQ questions and creative exercises.
Eidetic: a learning app that enables something called “spaced repetition” where information is repeated across a long period of time.
Cognifit: gamified app with a cognitive assessment and an ability to track progress over time.

Photo by Rami Al-zayat on Unsplash — Again, phones are a wonderful repository for brain games.

Personal Thoughts

Though the long-term research on the benefits of gamified learning are still underway, there’s a treasure trove of resources out there that can help you with your various needs.

Personally, I’m only using these two forms of gamified learning in my life right now: a gamified language learning app called Duolingo and occasional mobile games on Messenger.

Plus, I like that gamification can help with retaining one’s memory, as our brains are the most important asset. For better or for worse, we must take care of our brains, one game at a time.