Helping elderly parents adapt to contemporary technology can be quite challenging and uncomfortable.

However, utilizing devices like smartphones and computers in one’s latter years might decrease the likelihood of developing dementia, suggests a recent study.

Concerns over the extensive usage of digital gadgets have been increasingly mounting. Oxford University The press selected 'brain rot' — a term coined to depict a person's deteriorated mental condition following excessive smartphone use — as its phrase of the year for 2024.

Nevertheless, investigators discovered that utilizing digital technologies was associated with a 58 percent reduced likelihood of experiencing cognitive impairment, covering aspects such as problem-solving abilities, memory function, linguistic skills, or focus.

The group analyzed information from 400,000 individuals whose mean age was 68 years old. They concluded that people who started engaging with technologies like computers, smartphones, and the web after they reached adulthood find these activities mentally demanding.

Dr. Michael Scullin, who hails from Baylor University, Texas , stated: ‘One of the initial observations from older adults was “I am finding this computer very frustrating. It’s difficult to learn.”’

'That's essentially due to the mental challenge involved, which could be advantageous for your brain despite not feeling particularly pleasant at the time.'

He mentioned that technology demands continuous adjustment, like grasping new programs, and added, “Should you do this over several years… despite the potential frustrations, it could indicate that your mind is being exercised.”

Video calls, email communications, and messaging applications aid in sustaining social connections, which Professor Scullin mentioned could likewise safeguard against cognitive deterioration.

He mentioned that it's always possible to bring older relatives and friends into the technological fold, emphasizing, "Begin with basic concepts and remain exceedingly patient as they acquire new skills."

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Texas in Austin as well, appeared in the journal Nature Human Behaviour.

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