Don't act your age! Belgium's elderly compete at Senior Games

Copious amounts of balloons, a DJ in full swing and eight projectors dotted around the small event space, each hooked up to a Nintendo Switch device with Wii bowling set up and ready to go. 

It could have been the setting for a child's birthday party. Instead it was the location for Belgium's first Senior Games.

Teams of contestants aged over 70 were brought to a sports complex in the Brussels neighborhood of Molenbeek from eight different nursing homes to go toe-to-toe for the chance to be crowned an esports champion.

Teaming up with young gamers from the local area, the seniors strapped on their remote controls and learned the ropes of how to control their virtual avatars on the big screen. Within minutes the tournament was underway, each flick of the wrist and swing of the arm that resulted in a strike sparking huge cheers from the participants and spectators.

The event was organized by the Belgium Esports Federation and Papy Booom, a nonprofit working to help prevent issues of loneliness and isolation among elderly populations. 

"They love it. They love it and they want more. They want more and they want to be ready already for the next edition and they want even to have it more in their vicinity," said Samy Bessi, Vice President of the Belgium Esports Federation.

The winning team gets the opportunity to play against the French champion. Organizers say the main objective of the event is to have fun but that there are huge health benefits too. 

"The movement for seniors is crucial for their well-being. And in a mental aspect, they are in teams playing together against other teams so the adrenaline is also there," Bessi said.

Papy Booom organizes various innovative activities to keep elderly citizens entertained. Earlier this month a group of seniors were taken to a dance festival in Belgium. 

Experts say that between the ages of 30 to 70 people lose between 4-6 kilograms of muscle and believe activities like dancing can be hugely beneficial for elderly citizens. 

"When people get older, they should not tend to exercise less but to exercise more and the real challenge is to implement this physical activity and this physical exercise into daily life," said Ivan Bautmans, Head of Frailty in Aging Research Group at Vrije Universiteit Brussels.

Researchers in the Belgian capital are investigating whether resistance training for seniors can help reduce inflammation and boost the immune system, with some describing this form of exercise as an anti-aging "magic pill."

It's expected to become a more pressing issue as populations around the world grow older. Authorities expect that by 2050 roughly a quarter of Belgium's population will be over the age of 65.

Be it through dance, video games or lifting weights, medical professionals say more varied and innovative activities for seniors are needed to combat boredom and loneliness whilst also promoting better mental and physical health. 

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