Ageing positively with digital games

Active ageing is the process of optimizing health, social participation and security in order to enhance the quality of life of older individuals. Building on the paradigm of Positive Technology, we argue that new advanced technologies may offer interesting solutions to enhance well-being in the elderly. Specifically, digital games deserve a special attention because recent studies show that the elderly are receptive towards the adoption of digital games and the number of older gamers is increasing. In the present contribution, we review the potential of digital games in enhancing positive emotions, engagement and social connectedness, and outline future challenges for research and guidelines for game designers interested in this peculiar field.