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TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2014 • [email protected] • www.thepeninsulaqatar.com • 4455 7741 inside 300 tops COMMUNITY Mr. Peabody to • Cirque Éloize to perform capture weekend iD in Qatar box office P | 4 P | 8-9 ARCHAEOLOGY • Discovery of first temple in the region P | 6 RECIPE CONTEST • Send in your best recipe and win a dinner voucher for two P | 7 HEALTH • Study ties troubled sleep to lower brain volume P | 11 TECHNOLOGY VIDEO GAMES • Apps for children: Looking for the mobile generation FOR ELDERLY P | 12 Namco Bandai, the company behind 1980s arcade phenomenon PacMan, is part of a small, but growing band Learn Arabic • Learn commonly of groups developing video games and home computer used Arabic words entertainment for the so-called “silver generation” — and their meanings Japan’s burgeoning army of elderly people, who are living longer and healthier lives than ever before. P | 13 2 PLUS | TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2014 COVER STORY Video games By Kyoko Hasegawa growing band of groups developing video games and home computer t a nursing home in suburban entertainment for the so-called “silver Tokyo, 88-year-old Saburo generation” — Japan’s burgeoning target Sakamoto darts his fingers army of elderly people, who are living Aenergetically to catch char- longer and healthier lives than ever acters that appear on a touch screen before. in front of him. Japan’s population has been declining Peals of laughter erupt from since 2007 and the country is greying, the other side of the room full of with one of the world’s lowest birth Japan’s octogenarians as they wallop plastic rates and highest life expectancies. alligators that appear from little holes “We offer entertainment so that or wield foam hammers to crush frogs elderly people spend the whole day as they pop up. playing, having fun, and getting really “The ladies here are very agile, so exhausted before returning to their it’s almost impossible for me to beat home,” said Yoshiaki Kawamura, silver them,” says Sakamoto as he catches President of Kaikaya Ltd, the wholly- his breath and watches several women owned unit of Namco Bandai Holdings. easily outscore him on the game he is Day visitors, whose average age is playing. 85, have a choice of activities at this The nursing home is run by an government approved centre, including offshoot of Namco Bandai, the company assisted bathing, physiotherapy, lunch generation behind 1980s arcade phenomenon and a series of arcade and video games. PacMan, whose pill-popping escapades “The video games are very much helped bring video games to a mass extra-curricular, voluntary activities... youth market. but clients look very animated when Now the firm is part of a small, but they are playing,” Kawamura said.‘ PLUS | TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2014 3 Faces light up’ Takasugi agrees that there are The same kit that allows young gam- Sato, who lectures at Tohoku Fukushi Facility staff try to motivate the eld- clearly mood-enhancing benefits to be ers to kick and punch their way through University. erly, tapping into their competitive spir- had. a beat-em-up is now being used to liven There are four games to choose its by posting leader boards on the walls “The game is an effective tool to up monotonous rehabilitation. from, each aimed at specific muscle and running competitions to see who is lighten up the souls of elderly people Using the Kinect motion sen- groups, said Sato. the “most vigorous” every few months. who tend to stay at home, withdrawing sor — developed by Microsoft for its “But this software not only offers Among the titles on offer is from social life,” he said. video game console Xbox — Physical motivation to help people enjoy the “Dokidoki Hebi Taiji II” (Thrilling “It can also help keep them engaged therapist Keizo Sato worked with two exercises, but demonstrates the cor- Snakebuster II), a game developed by with what can be boring rehab companies to devise game software rect way to do them without the need Namco Bandai in cooperation with exercises.” specifically to help boost strength and for a therapist to be present,” he said. Kyushu University Hospital in west- suppleness. Osaka-based Medica Shuppan ern Japan. ‘Powerful tool’ Rehact — a contraction of the Publisher last year released a similar Like a lifesize version of Whack-a- Where video games have historically English words “rehabilitation” and game machine co-developed by Kyushu Mole, a seated player stamps on car- been sedentary and solitary, improving “active” — is intended to provide high- University researchers, while the same toon-like snakes that pop up at random technology means controlling charac- quality exercises for elderly people who researchers are developing another one around him. ters on a screen might live in rural areas away from in a three-year programme funded by Developers say the motion strength- no longer needs specialised medical facilities. the government. ens legs and hip muscles, something to be done just “The scarcity of people who can And Nintendo, the maker of the doctors say is important to help pre- by hitting keys provide rehab training to elderly peo- Donkey Kong and Super Mario fran- vent falls. or wobbling a ple in smaller cities and the cost of it chises, said late January it aims to It also increases cerebral blood joystick. are challenges for ageing Japan,” said reboot its business by entering the flows especially to the frontal lobe, health care industry with “non-wear- which may help to slow the progress able” products. of cognitive impairment, says Kyushu No details have been made available University doctor Shinichiro Takasugi. Using the Kinect motion sensor — developed on what this means, but the Kyoto- In practice, “it is hard to get sci- by Microsoft for its video game console Xbox based leading game console maker entific proof of a particular game’s — Physical therapist Keizo Sato worked with already offers fitness game software positive effect because of factors from Wii Fit series. other exercises,” said Kaikaya’s mus- two companies to devise game software “I think these so-called “exergames” culoskeletal nurse Miyuki Takahashi. specifically to help boost strength and will be a powerful tool for curbing “But the psychological effect is unar- snowballing medical costs in Japan,” guable -- people’s faces light up when suppleness. said Sato. they play it.” AFP 4 PLUS | TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2014 CAMPUS / COMMUNITY Workshop shares college application writing tips chool counsellors and English teachers from local high schools attended a workshop at SWeill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) to learn how to help their students write better personal statements for their university applications. The workshop, hosted by WCMC-Q’s Student Recruitment and Outreach Office in partnership with members of the English department of the Pre- Medical Education Department, also offered advice to the teachers and counsellors on writing effective reference letters for their students. and Dr Rodney Sharkey, Associate the application. Instead, the statement an impression of the character and Ten school counsellors and ten Professor of English. should explain who the student is as personality of the student. English teachers attended the work- Knowing how to write a personal a person and as an individual, so it She added: “It is important to back shop, which was opened by Dr statement is a crucial skill students is very important for the students to up with specific examples any asser- Rachid Bendriss, Assistant Dean for need to have when applying to univer- include details of their extracurricu- tions that are made about the positive Student Recruitment, Outreach and sity, explained Dr Golkowska. lar activities and their motivations for attributes of the student.” Foundation Programmes, and featured “Students need to be advised to studying medicine. Dr Bendriss commented: “At sessions by Pre-Medical Education fac- start working on them early enough “Of course, personal statements also WCMC-Q we are very happy to offer ulty members Dr Krystyna Golkowska, that they have time to produce a state- need to be well written, coherently counsellors and teachers advice and Associate Professor of English; Adam ment that explains why they are good structured and interesting to read.” guidance to enable them to represent Larson, ESL Lecturer, Alan Weber, candidates. The statement should not Dr Golkowska said that reference the skills and achievements of their Associate Professor of English, Ian just focus on their grades because that letters written by teachers in support students in the most effective way.” Miller, Lecturer of English Writing, information is included elsewhere in of college applications should also give The Peninsula Siddharth Ramesh, a Class VIII student of Birla Public School, who won the Under 14 title in the Sixth Open Tournament 2014 organised The Bangladeshi ambassador in Qatar, Syed Masud Mahmood Khundoker, and his spouse hosted an Asian Ambassadors’ by Qatar Tennis Federation, with Group dinner at Diplomatic Club recently. school officials. Stafford Toastmasters Club was chartered with Toastmasters International with the membership of 20 staff members from Stafford Sri Lankan School. Ranil Fernando, Vice President Publications of the club, won an award recently in the area contest involving nine clubs. The pictures show the charter members of the club and Ranil Fernando with his award. COMMUNITY / MARKETPLACE PLUS | TUESDAY 11 MARCH 2014 5 Cirque Éloize to perform iD in Qatar oha is in for a thrilling expe- What: A mix of circus arts and urban rience this April as Cirque dance directed by Jeannot Painchaud. Éloize, an affiliated company When: April 2: 8pm; April 3: 8pm; April Dof Cirque du Soleil, per- 4: 3.30pm, 8pm; April 5: 1.30pm, 6pm forms iD.

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