antÉ – Institute for Research in Anticipatory Systems
Research
Seneludens
Seneludens©: From the Latin senescere, “to grow old,” from senex, “old;” and ludus, “play.”
Copyright 2004 antÉ Institute. All rights reserved.
Addressing the various limitations and costs that aging entails has become a major challenge. Many resources are utilized for fighting the limitations of aging as they progressively occur, but few for attenuating the consequences of aging before these become a medical problem.
Seneludens takes a proactive approach. It seeks methods for combining the will of the aging to enjoy quality of life with means other than medicine for maintaining characteristics that make life worth living. Seneludens focuses on maintaining anticipatory characteristics during the aging process. Senescence is the stage at which anticipation degrades to such an extent that the body is practically reduced to its physical-chemical reality. Based on the findings of physicians, gerontologists, experts in brain research, cognitive science, and the social sciences, this project attempts to design games through which the aging person is enticed to remain physically and mentally active, to connect to others, and to remain competitive. Game-supported maintenance of skills will contribute to keeping the elderly independent and capable of further contributing to society.