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Friday, January 24, 2025

Seniors get gaming in lockdown

Older Australians have flexed their resilience during the 2020 lockdowns by finding ways to stay connected to loved ones and to keep entertained.

But with parts of the country once again in lockdown, Australia’s eSafety Commissioner was challenged to build a new module to keep older Australians learning and engaged.

This week the eSafety Commissioner launched its latest offering for Seniors – an online game that’s not only fun and entertaining, it provides older Australians with a range of benefits.

“The Jewel Match game is a great way for older Australians to increase their dexterity on touchscreens and boost their mood and confidence online,” said eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant.

“With many Australians subject to new lockdowns, it is important for older Australians to find new interests and activities to continue to explore the benefits technology can offer.”

“The restrictions also mean that many of us now have more time at home and older Australians have more opportunity to hone their online skills. Jewel Match is a great way to practice the critical skills, swiping and tapping on touch screens and dragging and clicking skills on computers. Let me tell you, it’s a gem!”

In Jewel Match, players are challenged to match as many brightly coloured jewels as possible in a limited number of moves to progress to more challenging, technicolour levels.

Jewel Match is one of over 500 great learning activities on the Be Connected website, managed by eSafety, that can help to open up the web safely for older Australians.

Play Jewel Match on the Be Connected website! Laptop and desk top users click here. Smartphone and tablet users click here.

Be Connected is a joint initiative between the Department of Social Services, as the lead agency, eSafety and Good Things Foundation. Check out the website today at beconnected.esafety.gov.au.    

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