Senior Citizens in Spain Hunt Pokemons for Health Reasons

Badalona, Spain takes pride in finding unique ways to improve the happiness and health of its elderly residents, many of whom have turned to a fun augmented-reality game that keeps them young at heart: Pokemon Go.

Pokemon Go can be “a good way of connecting people with others so they are less isolated”, says social worker Carlos Sanchez, who works with those suffering from loneliness and other living difficulties in Badalona.

The game encourages players to walk around the quiet Spanish town, capturing animated creatures that appear in front of them through their phone camera. 75-year-old retired nurse, Joanna Perez Osuna, says she spends up to six hours a day walking thanks to the app, adding, “Mentally it’s also good. As I don’t go to work anymore, I like to keep my mind working with an activity. It’s both physical and mental.”