Wizard 101 by Kingsisle helps older players mentor younger ones.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve written about the gaming study by Dr. Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, associate professor and department chair, and Dr. Aaron Delwiche, associate professor, of the Department of Communication at Trinity University. For the final installment in this series, I want to focus on a very interesting insight from Drs. Henderson and Delwiche — many older gamers really like the mentoring aspect of multiplayer online games. It’s not about the competition but about helping others.

As we at AARP have introduced the concept of Real Possibilities, we are also introducing a powerfully new idea, Life Reimagined. These ideas recognize that for most of us we’re just starting to get going as we get older and we have talents and interests we can build on, whether at work or in other settings. For the players identified in the study, many are able to use their talents and interests in a new setting, helping others — often younger players — succeed.

As with past blogs, the players’ quotes sum the concept up best.

• “Wizard101 brings people together from all over and teaches others you are not alone, and if you do good here it is OK, and if you make an oops playing, it is OK too … we are all human and we all make dumb moves and forget to do things, but we do good too and helping others when in need of help in turn they will help you when needed when they can. — 50-year-old woman who plays more than 50 hours per week.
• “I have helped several young people, and have tried to set a good example for them. I like the fact, also, that you can play with all different age groups, and that we learn from each other.”  — 65-year-old woman who plays on average 34 hours per week.
• “A lot of the quests require teamwork and I enjoy helping the younger players develop their teamwork.”           — 57-year old man who plays more than 65 hours per week.

Not only are these quotes great at showcasing the idea of mentoring but they also turn a common stereotype on its head. When technology or gaming typically comes up, the assumption is usually one of younger generations helping older generations. While this does happen, these quotes — and the study overall — show that it goes the other way, too, and involves learning not just technology but life skills. I would like to make one final ask for your stories — what examples do you have about mentoring in Wizard101 or other games?  Do you have other examples of powerful benefits of gaming?  We’d love to hear them!

View the entire Games for the 50+ series:

• Part 5: Games for the 50+: A New Outlet for Mentoring
• Part 4: Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge
• Part 3: Games for the 50+: Grandparents & Grandchildren Find Adventures, Memories
• Part 2: Games for the 50+: Strengthening Friendships
• Part 1: Games for the 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity

Bob Stephen is AARP’s Vice President for Home and Family. In this role he works on issues such as caregiving, intergenerational families, livable communities and technology across the organization.  He connects with family and friends through online gaming.

Image courtesy of Kingsisle

Photo by Victor1558 via CreativeCommons.org

I’ve been writing about the landmark gaming study by Dr. Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, associate professor and department chair, and Dr. Aaron Delwiche, associate professor, of the Department of Communication at Trinity University. Their study is based on over 32,000 users of  Wizard101, an online multiplayer game that surprisingly has a large number of 50+ users. One of the biggest surprises to us at AARP are the findings that show gaming benefits for caregivers and those who have gone through a challenging life transition.

Supporting the needs of family caregivers is a top priority for AARP. Our Caregiving Resource Center provides information to help both the caregiver and the person they are caring for. Most family caregivers are simply caring for a loved one because that is what family members do. The time can be rewarding but can also be stressful — as the family caregiver may become isolated from friends, may not take care of themselves, and may have little time for themselves. For those losing a family member, grief may make it difficult to reengage with friends and family.

Consider these powerful quotes from study participants.

• “I believe that this has been a lifesaver for me. I was in a rut after my husband died and I didn’t want to do anything or go anywhere. All I did was sit and watch TV. Now I never watch TV, I am here visiting with my friends and enjoying myself and living once again.” Comment from a 65-year-old woman who plays about 45 hours per week.
• “My husband is a quadriplegic. I am his caregiver. Wizards101 is a relief from taking care of him. It is an escape. The television is always on for my husband so that is why the high hours of TV. When I want to be in a ‘different’ world I play Wizards101. It is simple and not ‘real life’. I can leave it when I need to and take it up again. I am in my own little world when I play and I need that sometimes.” Comment from a 59-year-old woman who plays around 10 hours per week.
• “Since I take care of my mother, I don’t get out much. Wizard is just my way of being somewhere else for a few hours a day … and it’s something my husband and I can do together.” Comment from a 50-year-old woman who plays about 20 hours per week.

The online, multiplayer aspect of Wizard101 and similar games allows participants to do more than escape — it helps them to stay connected. As with past blogs, it would be great to hear your stories about gaming and connections to health, loss and family caregiving. Next time, I’ll conclude with a final surprise on gaming — mentoring.

View the entire Games for the 50+ series:

• Part 5: Games for the 50+: A New Outlet for Mentoring
• Part 4: Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge
• Part 3: Games for the 50+: Grandparents & Grandchildren Find Adventures, Memories
• Part 2: Games for the 50+: Strengthening Friendships
• Part 1: Games for the 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity

Bob Stephen is AARP’s Vice President for Home and Family. In this role he works on issues such as caregiving, intergenerational families, livable communities and technology across the organization.  He connects with family and friends through online gaming.

Image courtesy of Victor1558 via CreativeCommons.org

Related: Games for 50+: Strengthening Friendships

This past summer when I would run on Saturdays, I tended to pass by a grandfather and his grandson exploring different parts of the trail. Sometimes they’d have a butterfly net, while other times they were looking at the plants along the trail. Basically, these were adventures they were going on together. It turns out that technology and gaming opens up adventures and memories for grandparents and grandkids separated by either distance or physical limitations of the grandparent.

Consider these quotes from grandparents in the study:

• “As a 70 year-old grandparent, this game lets me have a glimpse into the world of my grandchildren without the violence of games like WoW. As a retired teacher, the game lets me try to understand this new world of gaming that has captured the minds of students ….” (This comment was from a 71-year-old woman who plays 16 hours per week.)
• “This game has given my family a way to play together and communicate more often even though we are thousands of miles apart. It has brought us closer together and that means the world to us!” (This comment was made by a 59-year-old woman who plays about one hour per week.)
• “I live many, many miles away from my grandson. This is a way that in real time we can connectdf and have some fun together. I am grateful for this!” (This comment was from a 55-year-old woman who plays about two hours per week.)

The right game environment offers both the connections around activity and adventure but also helps to bridge the digital differences between generations. Next time, we’ll talk about some surprising connections between gaming, caregiving and health. Until then, it would be great to hear your stories  — how have you used online games to stay connected with other generations — kids, grandkids or parents?

View the entire Games for the 50+ series:

• Part 5: Games for the 50+: A New Outlet for Mentoring
• Part 4: Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge
• Part 3: Games for the 50+: Grandparents & Grandchildren Find Adventures, Memories
• Part 2: Games for the 50+: Strengthening Friendships
• Part 1: Games for the 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity

Bob Stephen is AARP’s Vice President for Home and Family. In this role he works on issues such as caregiving, intergenerational families, livable communities and technology across the organization.  He connects with family and friends through online gaming.

Also of Interest

• Games for 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity
• Cheap, Easy Tips for Keeping Mosquitos Away
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Photo courtesy kuteev.livejournal.com

In my last blog post, I described a very large study of 32,000 users of the free online multiplayer game, Wizard101.

The study found that not only were the Wizard101 subscribers over 50 playing more every week compared to younger users, but that they also reported social benefits from playing the game, including the ability to make new friends and stay connected to old friends.

The virtual world aspect of Wizard101 and similar games provide participants with an opportunity to interact and get to know others — all from the comfort of home.  There are certainly similarities to social media where friends can be made based on shared interest — but the game environment adds a twist in that you can do things together while making friends or staying connected.

The study was conducted by two associate professors in the Department of Communication at Trinity University in San Antonio,  Aaron Delwiche and Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, who is also the department chair.

One of  their findings involved the players’ ability to connect beyond what’s physically possible.  That could mean making friends around the country or world through gaming, or it could mean that the gaming allowed them to interact with people in spite of health issues that might prevent them from leaving the house at all.

For one of my colleagues down the hall at AARP, this is not a new phenomenon, as she has a regular game night with her former college roommate every week.  Despite living hundreds of miles apart, they meet virtually in another multiplayer online game.  Even though she’s a Gen Xer, Delwiche and Henderson report the experience is the same for boomers.

Study participants volunteered these comments:

• “I have made real friends that I speak with on the phone daily, from all over the country. I can’t imagine not playing, though I am not on as much as I used to be.” (This participant was a 53-year-old woman who plays almost 4 hours a week.)
• “We are seniors and this is a great way to get out of the house without having to leave our home.” (This participant was a 59-year-old woman who plays 20 hours per week.)

There seem to be a lot of different benefits to online gaming, which allows participants to overcome long distances with existing friends, like my coworker, make new friends and even avoid isolation through this social connection.

In my next blog post, I’ll talk about the family connection results of the study.  Until then, it would be great to hear from anyone who has personally experienced the ability to connect and meet new friends through gaming of any type.

View the entire Games for the 50+ series:

• Part 5: Games for the 50+: A New Outlet for Mentoring
• Part 4: Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge
• Part 3: Games for the 50+: Grandparents & Grandchildren Find Adventures, Memories
• Part 2: Games for the 50+: Strengthening Friendships
• Part 1: Games for the 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity

Bob Stephen is AARP’s Vice President for Home and Family. In this role he works across the organization on issues that include caregiving, intergenerational families, livable communities, and technology.  He connects with his family and friends through online  gaming.

Also of Interest

• Which is Worse, Being Lonely or Just Being Alone?
• The Ageless Benefits of Team Sports: Getting Back in the Game
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

Get Your Brain in Shape! Think faster, focus better. Brain Fitness. It’s free to start.

Two associate professors in the Department of Communication at Trinity University in San Antonio, Aaron Delwiche and  Jennifer Jacobs Henderson, who is also the department chair, recently completed a study where they obtained information from over 32,000 users of the free online multiplayer game Wizard101.  The users ranged in age from 5 to 95 years old.  As far as studies go, that makes it one of the largest gaming studies ever.  They chose Wizard101 because of its large subscriber base and its recognition in the industry for being nonviolent with an emphasis on problem-solving and collaboration.  The game is intended for tweens, but its makers have made sure that controls are appropriate for everyone and that content is relevant to people of all ages.  Unlike word games, this and similar games provide an online environment where players can interact with each other.

Online multiplayer games (referred to as MMORPGs – Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) are increasingly popular with people of all ages. While Wizard101 and the similar Pirate101 have appeal across generation, there are also games available for younger and older audiences. ToonTown Online and Star Wars: Clone War Adventures are appropriate for playing with younger family and friends and World of Warcraft, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Lord of the Rings Online are three popular games more appropriate for those in their teens or older.

From working at AARP, we know that the 50-plus (and Gen Xers) do play video games and tend to play longer than younger players. (Hey, many of us were the original gamers with Pong.)  Major findings from the study include:

• Unlike younger gamers, who are usually male, the majority of 50-plus players are women.
• 50-plus players focused less on competition and more on cooperation.
• Players over 50 cited benefits of making and staying connected to friends.
• Online games provide a way for family to stay connected despite geographic barriers.
• Caregivers found gaming to be a way to address stress, avoid isolation and stay connected to family and friends.
• Many 50-plus gamers cited the ability to mentor and help younger players as a positive.

While past studies have talked to who’s playing and for how long, the last four bullets above represent new insights.

View the entire Games for the 50+ series:

• Part 5: Games for the 50+: A New Outlet for Mentoring
• Part 4: Games for the 50+: Games Provide Family Caregivers With Time to Recharge
• Part 3: Games for the 50+: Grandparents & Grandchildren Find Adventures, Memories
• Part 2: Games for the 50+: Strengthening Friendships
• Part 1: Games for the 50+: Benefits Include Socialization, Activity

Bob Stephen is AARP’s Vice President for Home and Family. In this role he works on issues such as caregiving, intergenerational families, livable communities and technology across the organization.  He connects with family and friends through online gaming.

Image Courtesy of:  Kingsisle

Also of Interest

• Brain Fitness: Four Strategies to Keep Your Wits with Aging
• Valerie Harper’s Rare Brain Cancer: What Caused It?
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more

For example, it turns out they no longer teach the same steering wheel or mirror positions from my high school days. Technology and distracted driving is an important addition, and there is a great deal of emphasis on preparation.  It seems that there is a big gap in the way we think of driving — we focus appropriately on teens but after that, we only offer driving refresher courses to those at risk of losing their license or older drivers.

So, maybe I missed something, but the steering and mirror best practices left me shaken — how could I have missed these fairly significant changes!  For steering — best practice is now to hold the wheel at 9 and 3 or 8 and 4.  This provides better control and protection against injury during air bag deployment. For mirrors, blindspot and glare elimination is now recommended. That last tip made me feel guilty, because when my older son tried to change our mirrors that way, we told him he was doing it wrong!  The course also discussed distracted driving sharing a moving video. Finally they talked about the importance of becoming familiar with your environment. Each of these lessons is important to teens but no less important for all of us.

I have since discovered that everything I learned in my teen’s driving class is also covered in classroom and online AARP Driver Safety  classes. Anyone can take the Driver Safety Course — and drivers of any age in seven states (DE, GA, KS, NJ, NY, ND, OK) are eligible for insurance discounts. More than 25 other states offer a premium discount, but only to older drivers. Later this year the AARP Driver Safety program will be introducing an updated curriculum, so that will be one place you can be sure you’re getting the most current take on driving laws.

The steering and mirror information is something we can all use. Another easy “win” comes from a recent conversation I had with AARP’s Jana Lynott.  Jana suggested that, when moving into a new community, it can be really valuable to ride as a passenger with someone who knows their way around.  Use the time to understand how traffic flows and get prepared. I’d take that a step further. It’s not just new roads but new conditions such as understanding how to drive in different kinds of weather or even seeing how your new neighbors drive under these conditions.

Finally, another great source for driving information — for drivers of all ages — is Julie Lee’s “The Road Less Traveled” blog. Julie leads the AARP Driver Safety program.  Her blogs include great information such as this one on SMART Driving.

Photo courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr via CreativeCommons.org

Our assumption has been that both boys would one day go to college, but early on, our only college savings came through their grandparents.  While we probably felt that it would be a long time until our babies would be off to school – our folks were a bit wiser and started with small gifts including savings bonds.  This is not uncommon as 85% of grandparents say they will pay some towards their grandchildren’s education.  Despite a late start, we established a plan that revolved around organizing, setting goals, and discipline.

Our college savings were sporadic and in several different places.  We wanted a way to achieve control and manage everything from one place.  This came from opening 529 college savings accounts through our state.  Everything can be managed online (including changing the beneficiary) and we receive a state tax deduction (all but 16 states offer tax deductions).  Grandparents and others are eligible to open a 529 for any child.  It is important to check the rules in your state – most states only give tax breaks to plans offered by the state.

There are a variety of college savings calculators available that will allow you to set a potential school and assumptions (inflation) and then project out how much you need to save.  This allowed my wife and I to discuss what we were willing to commit and expect from our son.  We decided we would pay for a certain percentage of in-state college expenses.  If either son wanted to go elsewhere, they would be aware of what would need to be covered through non-loan financial aid.

With our goals set, we then established monthly transfers into the 529 accounts.  With help from our parents and following a plan, we are now set to send our oldest son off to college where he’ll be attending the College of William and Mary (an in-state public school) in the fall. His application and acceptance was the result of hard work in school and navigating the search process this year, but, really this all started when his grandparents gave him a US Savings Bond the day he was born.

Picture courtesy of Mike McBride/Flickr via CreativeCommons.org

By way of introduction, I am both AARP’s Vice President of Home and Family and among the first members of Generation X.  My role at AARP involves working with all of my co-workers to make sure that we know what issues are important to the fifty plus around home and family and working to address those issues through the things we do.  This involves five related topics:

• Caregiving;
• Kids and grandkids;
• Livable communities;
• Driving; and
• Consumer technology 

We know those are important issues for Boomers and everyone else over the age of 50.  The first members of Generation X turn 50 in under two years, but, for us Gen Xers the issues I mention above are already relevant and critical.

If you’re a data person, the study released by Pew this week (see this blog post by Amy Goyer) is an eye opening look at family and who the sandwich generation is today (responsible for kids/adult kids and helping with parents older than 65).    In 2012, 42% of Generation X had a financially dependent child along with a parent over 65.  This was – for the first time – higher than Boomers with 33% falling into the Sandwich category.  Another data point to consider – the average age of a first time grandparent in this country is 48 – which in 2013 makes that average person a Gen Xer.

Working at AARP, I often have older family and friends thank me for working on their behalf.  This is great validation, but inside I do feel a bit self-serving, too.  The issues we work on are also critical for me and my fellow Gen Xers – even if we don’t talk about them.  From a personal perspective, my wife and I have two older teen sons (very financially dependent). Our parents are older than 65 and still very active – but every now and then they do need some help.  We are starting to think about how accommodating our house and community will be in the future.  We’ve seen technology change the way we connect with each other and the world.  And, we are very dependent upon our cars. 

The plan for my blogging is to highlight the things we work on in the Home and Family area – things that apply to people of all ages and are personal for me.  We have some great people already blogging on many of these topics, so the goal is not to just add another post on the same topics.  I will try to bring fresh topics and also insights for my Gen X peers.  As a generation, we don’t talk much about ourselves.  This lack of discussion may be because we do not have a catchy generation name like Boomers or Millennials (Thank you Douglas Coupland) or we get overlooked, sandwiched between these larger generations (During my trip to the Consumer Electronic Show last month , I attended a session where panelists openly talked about not knowing what the post-Boomer generation is called).  But, we’re here and we are the new sandwich generation – like those generations before us focused on our families.

[Photo Courtesy of anyjazz65/Flickr]