While most of the gift-selection attention this holiday season may be on video or internet-based games, it turns out your best buy may be the old-fashioned analog board game Monopoly or some modern version of it. New research out of the University of Edinburgh reports that older adults who play board games in their 70s were more likely to maintain healthy cognitive function in their later years. The researchers specifically looked at such non-digital games as cards and board games when assessing the cognitive abilities of older adults. So pull out your canasta cards and click here to find out more.

As for selecting a board game? New York Magazine’s The Strategist recently listed the best adult board games on Amazon, few of which you’ll know from your childhood. The Chicago Tribune also posted a recent article about adult board games, naming their favorite one, Hasbro’s Game of Life. And for those of you who think playing board games is too old-fashioned? Check out this recent NBC news piece on older adults who thrive in the world of video games, including 88-year-old award-winning gamer Audrey Buchanan.