back to article Old men who use computers less likely to get dementia

Men who use computers as they enter their winter years have a better chance of avoiding dementia than those who don't, according to a new Australian study. Older Men Who Use Computers Have Lower Risk of Dementia, compiled by researchers at the University of Western Australia's Centre for Health and Ageing, is one output of the …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Robert E A Harvey

    Yes

    as a 62-year-old my immediate reaction is: Why did I come here? what?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Yes

      Yes but old men with dementia are unlikely to be using computers.

      1. dotdavid
        Go

        Re: Yes

        "“‘How often do you use a personal computer?’ Possible answers were ‘never’, ‘every day’, ‘at least every week’, ‘less than every week’"

        "I use it every day. It makes an excellent doorstop for letting the cat come in and out in the summertime. Wonderful device."

      2. VinceH
        Joke

        Re: Yes

        " Yes but old men with dementia are unlikely to be using computers."

        Or they do, but forgot when completing the survey.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Yes

      I am 63. Where am I. I forgot.

  2. sleepy

    Vice versa?

    Could it be that dementia is the cause and not using computers the effect?

    1. Alastair C

      Re: Vice versa?

      > Could it be that dementia is the cause and not using

      > computers the effect?

      My guess is that this is why they followed them for several years - to see whether dementia developed in those already using computers.

    2. zs

      Re: Vice versa?

      A question should be to those with "clinically significant depressive symptoms or medical morbidity" whether they were regular computer users, if they remember it.....

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In other news...

    People who try to train their brains with puzzles and other trouble-solving issues are likely to keep clear as well.

    Is this really the computer or the people who simply continue to actively use their brains (no pun intended) ?

    1. roomey
      Joke

      Re: In other news...

      >People who try to train their brains with puzzles

      They must be using gentoo

    2. John A Blackley

      Re: In other news...

      My (89 year-old) father has no use for a computer. On the other hand, his 'relaxing' recreation (as opposed to his physically demanding recreation which is carpentry and gardening) is doing hellishly (to me) difficult crosswords and sudoku puzzles.

      I feel he may outlive me.

  4. Herby

    Look at it this way...

    Life is a terminal disease. Fatal to everyone. So, having been on this planet 62 years, and having parents that have/are living in their 90's and quite lucid, I feel I've got a ways to go.

    Now where is the power switch???

  5. Patrick R
    Trollface

    Look at it an other way

    Was the study funded by Microsoft-Dell-HP ?

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Looking around the office

    This is very good news for the company I work for, which seems to be staffed mostly with old grey men.

  7. taxman
    Megaphone

    Breaking news

    Australia increase retirement age to 75 as research shows the elderly can still work if they use computers. UK government considering a similar increase for public servants.

  8. SiempreTuna
    Thumb Down

    NOOooooooo!

    Do we have to encourage old folks to use computers? Have you tried helping a fuddy use technology?

    "So which ear do you want me to press on the hamster?"

    "What little arrow thing?"

    "I can't find the 'Any' key .."

    Their dementia v my sanity - it's a no brainer

    1. Chemist

      Re: NOOooooooo!

      I can only repeat :-

      "What do old people know about computers apart from the fact they invented them"

      1. Ted Treen
        Happy

        Re: NOOooooooo!

        Chemist, you're a genius.

        As a 62 yr-old (who was a systems engineer at 25), I have often been asked pityingly by my son (now 27) "What on earth did your generation do before PCs, Playstations etc. etc.?"

        My stock reply was always "We were very busy inventing & developing PCs, Playstations etc. etc."

        Put the little bugger in his place!

        1. Chemist

          Re: NOOooooooo!

          I know what you mean - I was taught Physics by a guy who had worked on the Manchester "baby" - he had a photo showing him stripped to the waist working in a cellar surrounded by racks of valves.

          I thin Douglas Adams sums it up very well in a passage that kind of parodies the "Seven Ages of Man" speech from "As You Like It" but I can't just put my hand on just now. It's along the lines of - a technology that's invented when you reach a certain age is new and exciting and you could possibly get a job working with it ..........

          I'm sure someone will have the passage off by heart

          1. OkKTY8KK5U

            Re: NOOooooooo!

            "Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things." - Douglas Adams

            (No, I didn't know it by heart, I just collect quotes and thought I'd step up. Great quote.)

            1. Chemist

              Re: NOOooooooo!

              Excellent - many thanks.

    2. keithpeter Silver badge
      Linux

      Re: NOOooooooo!

      Chemist has nailed it, but...

      ...If you have older female relatives, the 75 to 85 age range, it is worth asking if anyone ever worked as a telex operator in a larger company. If so, ask about 'net' and if there was ever any discussion about families and life across time zones..... 50s/60s answer to facebook

      Nowt new under the sun

  9. Omgwtfbbqtime
    Trollface

    Are they certain its not porn that has this effect?

    EOM

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Are they certain its not porn that has this effect?

      That's what the "other" category was for.

  10. jake Silver badge

    Hmmm.

    "All of which leaves your correspondent's retirement plan to down keyboard and take up a virtual sword looking rather sound."

    Try a real sword. Dad and I have been fencing for 35+ years. He's still sharp as a tack, and beats me roughly half the time with foil & saber (sabre). Most of the time, I win at épée. Neither of us are fond of broadsword or quarterstaff anymore ... bruises take longer to heal as you age ;-)

    He's also the person who got me into computers. Also 35+ years ago. I am 50ish. Dad is pushing 80. We are both retired ... and both take consulting jobs, when the mood strikes.

    I guess my point is "pick your battles". Keep your mind & body exercised and properly nourished, and the rest will likely take care of itself.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  11. iGoto

    I'll give you my keyboard...

    ...when you take it from my cold dead hands!!!!

  12. markthebrewer

    No, I'm not an expert in statistics, but...

    Am I being dense here, or wouldn't you expect people with dementia to use computers less anyway?

    Maybe I should read the article...

    1. Ted Treen
      Pint

      Re: No, I'm not an expert in statistics, but...

      Cause? Effect?

      Horse, Cart:- re-arrange to suit...

      Then have a beer...

  13. NomNomNom

    now where did I put that red armor

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I must be getting old

    I read this as 40% less 69's for computer users and thought 'well yeah ..'

  15. Scott Broukell
    Pint

    Nurse, nurse ........

    more tablets nurse ...... it's the future .... of ....... what? ... who are you?

    On another note, I wonder about the results of an activity survey of older generation users and if it might be determined that they indulge in more constructive computational activities than the majority of younger generations. By which I mean less angry birds and more 'garden shed', getting things done, sort of a thing. By which I mean treating the computer as a tool and not a play thing. By which I mean ...errm, ..... now, what did I come in here for again ?

    PINT - because I can't find my pipe and slippers (?!)

  16. Craig Vaughton
    Terminator

    First the good news

    So using a computer once I retire will reduce my chances of dementia, great stuff.

    Sadly, having worked with the bloody things for 20+ years already, by the time I'm supposed to retire I'll already be sat in a chair drooling and rocking to myself!

  17. RISC OS

    Next weeks news:

    Old men who use computers MORE likely to get dementia

    A new study has shown evidence that....

    The same old crap, these studies are ten-a-penny. One week chocolate is good for you, then next week it is bad, then it's good again as long as you are over 40 and eat dark chocolate - a week later its bad again if you are 40 and eat dark chocolate over 90%.

    In 2 weeks the headline will be

    "Old men who use computers less likely to get dementia but more likely to top themselves due to loneliness brought on by old age and the fact they spend every waking mean surfing the net"

  18. Hagglefoot
    Facepalm

    Just me and my shadow

    The problem with dementia is I dont remember, but here are some cakes I baked earlier...

    Oh! and Harvey says Hi!

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    i will nevr get DEMENTIA

    because i am so smart

  20. Graham Marsden
    Facepalm

    Another announcemnent from the Department of the Bleedin' Obvious...

    So using computers means you're less likely to get dementia.

    As does doing crosswords, playing chess and a whole host of similar activities...

  21. Alan Denman

    So they can then stop taking the tablets.

    That obviously beggars the question whether tablet mania a form of dementia.

  22. Michael 28
    Angel

    re: tablet mania

    Does "writing notes on the back of a punch card and forgetting where you left it" count as dementia?

    also, is there any difference statistically between UNIX/ windows users ? (What's a root password again?)

  23. aeonturnip
    Angel

    Quoting the great Mr Adams...

    “I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies:

    1. Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works.

    2. Anything that's invented between when you’re fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it.

    3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things.”

  24. IR

    And

    In the case of my dad, old men who use computers are also more likely to forward you chain emails and post racist things on facebook.

  25. JaitcH
    Happy

    Does that mean ...

    that dirty old men who search on the InterNet for pornography, are protecting their health?

  26. Herbert Meyer
    Meh

    you don't have to be demented to use a computer if you are over 65...

    But it helps, especially if you are using Windows 8.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like