Aging and Gaming

[payn]

My friends and I have been joking about playing RPGs in the retirement home for years. (I'm 51, so a ways off, unless I start making a lot more money really quickly.)

I'm actually curious what people play in retirement homes now, who aren't TTRPG-ers. It is still the stereotypical bridge and gin rummy? Or are there retirees playing Settlers of Catan and ... whatever card game was popular 20 years ago, I guess.

My grandpa was always playing pinochle, euchre, and cribbage.

 

[The Soloist]

My friends and I have been joking about playing RPGs in the retirement home for years. (I'm 51, so a ways off, unless I start making a lot more money really quickly.)

I'm actually curious what people play in retirement homes now, who aren't TTRPG-ers. It is still the stereotypical bridge and gin rummy? Or are there retirees playing Settlers of Catan and ... whatever card game was popular 20 years ago, I guess.

My parents played Catan with us for many years. They tried to teach the game to residents when they moved in before Covid, but it didn't work out. The other resisdents didn't want to learn new games.

I guess that will be valid for our generation. There will be TSR only residences. 'No WoTC D&D editions in my residence!' credo could become a thing.

 

[PrunellaUK]

"We only play AD&D here!" they scream at the clouds...

 

[The Soloist]

The 1980-85 D&D players, is the first large cohort that will enter residence eventually. I'm almost 60. Not going to a residence any time soon!

 

[Joshua Randall]

My parents played Catan with us for many years. They tried to teach the game to residents when they moved in before Covid, but it didn't work out. The other resisdents didn't want to learn new games.

See? It’s just like the research said. Older people don’t want to learn new things. Hah!

 

[Thomas Shey]

See? It’s just like the research said. Older people don’t want to learn new things. Hah!

That's been visible for a long time in many cases; it isn't universal, but its common enough it isn't a great revelation.

 

[PrunellaUK]

The 1980-85 D&D players, is the first large cohort that will enter residence eventually. I'm almost 60. Not going to a residence any time soon!

When I began playing TTRPGs in 1982 I was already aware there was an older group who'd already been playing for six or seven years, and were already veterans. I'm guessing those folks are already approaching care home age.

 

[aramis erak]

Yeah, I didn't comment because its rare this sort of thing is really trying to universalize. I was a little slow doing the mobile phone thing, but part of that was my life situation made it only marginally useful to me; when it became necessary during the pandemic, I didn't resist. I was on top of computers pretty early (had my first one I want to say in 1982) and appreciated tablets as soon as they became good reading tools.

But I'm not necessarily typical, either.

I was the first of my friend group to get a cell-phone.
I was the first of my friend group to run D&D 3.x
I was the first of my friend group to use a Galaxy Note.
I was the first of my friend group to use an e-Ink reader; AFAIK, I'm the last of them, too.
I can't afford to remain bleeding edge anymore.

 

[The Soloist]

When I began playing TTRPGs in 1982 I was already aware there was an older group who'd already been playing for six or seven years, and were already veterans. I'm guessing those folks are already approaching care home age.

They are. Some are 70+. But the 1974-79 cohort is much smaller than the 1980-85 cohort. Coupled with mortality rates, the chances of being in a residence with others RPG players is lower for the 74-79 cohort.

 

[2KAD77]

While I'm not that old (early 50s), I'm at the age where I now need reading glasses and my brain increasingly rebels at me trying to cram more TTRPG rules and lore into it. "Dag nab it, you still expect me to keep up with constantly changing law and technology and then come home and try to understand and compare the 4 or 5 different rule variants for channeling and casting in Warhammer Fantasy AND troubleshoot VTT modules! Why don't you get a proper hobby for someone your age. Walking. Fishing. Something like that!" "Shut up brain! Just be happy I dropped trying to run MAGE: The Ascension!"

I'm too lazy to look up the science on this; I swear I read an article on it sometime, somewhere; but I find that my recognition is better than it was in my youth, but my recall has gone to hell in a hand basket. Decades of experience being a geek and a bookworm are great for understanding new things I read and making connections, but boy do does it take a lot more time to create the grooves in the gray matter to be able to bring something to mind when I need it.

When I was young, I would read over rules a day or two before a game and run it and would run games in multiple systems. Today that feels like self elder abuse.

This is really the only major thing affecting my gaming that is 100% age related. I'm curious whether this will improve or get worse. Get worse, because I'll get older. But then once the kids are out of the house, and especially when I eventually retire, perhaps having less stress and less demands on my brain will improve things in this area.

Anyway, just musing. Would be interested on how gaming has changed for the better or worse for others getting up in years.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I’m in my late 40’s and not far off, but I agree that I tend to find myself leaning more towards lighter rule sets. But even in my younger years, I’ve preferred to have the freedom to create rulings on the spot.