Many communities are trying to provide quality attention and care to their elderly residents. For example, seniors in Westlake, Ohio, can sign up for a program that provides frequent welfare checks. But when the police were sent on a welfare check for a 91-year-old woman after multiple unanswered phone calls, they couldn’t have expected a better, funnier result.
The woman was safe and sound in her bedroom, playing video games.
“Everyone was a little bit alarmed that she was missing these contacts,” Westlake Police captain Jerry Vogel told News 5 Cleveland. “It turned out to be okay. Everyone got a good laugh out of it.”
The elderly gamer was a part of Westlake’s “Are You Okay?” program for senior citizens and other qualified residents. Upon signing up, elderly residents receive a daily phone call to answer, ensuring that they are safe and okay. If the call goes unanswered, the police do a welfare check. After multiple missed calls, including a follow-up from police dispatch and one from the woman’s daughter, the police entered the woman’s home to find her trying to beat her record in a “bubble pop” video game.
The police and the woman both laughed in relief, and the woman thanked the police for checking in through the “Are You Okay?” service. To protect her privacy, the police shut off their body cams and aren’t releasing the 91-year-old gamer’s identity.
Seniors are a growing demographic in video gaming
While this welfare check ended in a funny result, the police shouldn’t have been too shocked to see a person over 90 playing a video game. In fact, seniors are a growing demographic in video gaming. An Entertainment Software Association report found that 28% of gamers in the United States are over the age of 50.
The reasons why more elderly people play video games are numerous. Some play video games involving hunting, fishing, bowling, etc., since they can continue their favorite pastimes regardless of their mobility or accessibility. Other older gamers play to connect with their grandkids or just younger people in general.
There are also studies showing and encouraging seniors to play video games for health benefits, including improving their social lives through in-person or online gaming. Some games are mentally challenging, helping seniors’ cognitive health as well.
So the next time you log in to play Call of Duty, Minecraft, Fortnite, or another game online, there’s a chance that one of the people you’re playing with could be a senior. Who knows? It could be a 91-year-old woman in Westlake.
