While plenty of young people have become obsessed with playing Pokémon GO, a local home care group is emphasizing the health benefits of the game for its senior clients.

Home care provider Nurse Next Door has been encouraging its senior patients to play the game to promote exercise, cognitive stimulation and interaction between different age groups. The game has also given their senior clients the opportunity to explore the city and have a greater sense of community.

“It gets everybody outside having some exercise, having some fun,” said Patrick Wyness with Nurse Next Door. “You’re playing a game so you’re using a bit of your mind.”

Some of the seniors say it’s even given them the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones.

“It’s actually quite fun,” said 73-year-old client Sue Sparlin. “I was talking to a fellow the other day with green hair and lots of piercings and I never would’ve talked to him before that. It’s an excuse to talk to people as well.”

A recent study from the University of California found that playing a custom designed video game helped seniors reverse some of the issues associated with aging, including short-term memory loss and their ability to multitask. The study’s participants were between 60 and 85 years old and were able to improve their multitasking ability by playing a racing game called NeuroRacer for four weeks.

While some of Nurse Next Door’s clients were initially confused by the concept of Pokémon GO, several staff members were on-hand to help the seniors navigate the outdoor playing field and ensure they were playing safely given the number of recent cases of players not paying attention to their surroundings. The clients were excited to try something new and have enjoyed the experience of playing with their friends.

“It’s a social game,” said Wyness. “They’re all talking to each other having fun. It’s a great thing.”

Nurse Next Door is hoping to spread the word to encourage more seniors to play the game and is happy the trend is catching on among their clients.

“You’ve got to get with the program,” said Sparlin. “This is what 73 looks like.”