For someone over 60 undergoing surgery, they have strong chance of developing Post-Op Delirium, which is defined as a patient having acute confusion, in the hours and days following general anesthesia after the surgery. This is a well-documented occurrence that leads to longer hospital stays, delayed recovery and increased costs.
So, what can you do about this if you definitely need to have the surgery done?
It turns out playing computer games a few days before the surgery can reduce the likelihood of your experiencing post-op delirium by 40%. This was reported in JAMA Surgery.
While this study had the participants playing games targeting memory, speed and attention on a tablet, the researchers also think it might work by just doing crossword puzzles or reading. The researchers don’t know what is happening in the brain to make this dramatic difference in recovery occur. They think it might be because the games are challenging the brain, which improves mental fitness.
While I’m not sure their explanation is the right one, I would recommend playing computer games since that is what they did in this study and it worked so well.
So…if you’re over 60, start having fun and play those games before you have your surgery!(Reported Prevention, February 2021)
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