Redesigning Classic Board Games for Older Adults
Playing board games is a good way to socialize and keep your brain sharp. Some games like Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, and the Game of Life are favorites for people of all ages. That’s why these classics are being redesigned to meet the needs of aging adults
Hasbro, which makes the games, teamed up with Ageless Innovation (which specializes in developing toys for elderly people) to tweak the games to make them easier and more appealing for older players, according to a press release.
“Our ongoing mission at Hasbro is to innovate our classic gaming brands and create unique experiences that bring joy to every member of the family, whether building on the memories of older adults or introducing new ways to play for the youngest members,” Jess Richardson, vice president, global toys & games, licensed consumer products at Hasbro, said in the press release.
An aging population
Seniors are a growing market. In fact, there are over 55 million people over the age of 65 in the US, according to the US Census Bureau. And that number is expected to double by 2050.
As the population ages, reported CNN, there are requirements for services and products that meet the special needs of the elderly; including toys.
Hasbro realized that years ago, Ted Fischer, co-founder and CEO of Ageless Innovation told CNN. “We looked at the health and wellness space and recognized that there was a void of products that would bring fun and play for older adults,” he said.
That’s why Hasbro founded the Joy for All brand that created robotic companion pets for seniors to help combat loneliness. This brand was spun-off in 2018 to Ageless Innovation. In 2022, the partnership was formed to create the reimagined board games.
What’s different?
The board games have been tweaked to include some age-inclusive components including larger play pieces that are easy to grasp, larger font sizes for the wording on the boards, and more age-relevant content.
Some of the games have been completely revamped. There is now a new Scrabble Bingo 3-in-1 edition that includes the classic game. Scrabble Bingo and Scrabble Pass. All of the games incorporate larger tiles and lettering.
Trivial Pursuit has been reimagined and now has generation specific categories with 1,500 new questions that are segmented by generations including: the Greatest Generation, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials and Generation Z. There is even an additional deck of blank cards that can be personalized by players.
“For example, one question to put on the card could be, ‘[Blank] was his nickname when grandpa was younger,” Fischer said.
The third game, The Game of Life Generations edition allows people to pick a generation before playing and allows players to travel through life events that are specific to their ages. This game illustrates how the new versions of these much-loved games are not meant to be played exclusively by seniors. According to Fischer, the games are meant to encourage intergenerational play by friends and family.
The games will launch in June 2023 and will be available on the Joy for All website and for Ageless Innovations health care customers and senior living communities.
Making games for seniors is a no-brainer because board games like Scrabble can actually help with memory issues and end feelings of isolation and loneliness.
