An accidental discovery during brain surgery in Britain might help people with Alzheimer’s disease, according to an article in the Independent. A man’s memory was increased when electrodes were placed deep in the brain and electrical currents were applied. The purpose of the surgery was to diminish the patient’s appetite but the unintended results started scientists thinking that electrical stimulation of certain areas of the brain could improve memory. The theory is that an ongoing electrical stimulation similar to how a pacemaker works would help patients retain and recall memories. Three patients have been treated with this procedure and initial results are promising according to the story. Deep electrical brain stimulation for the treatment of various diseases is a relatively new procedure that has grown over the last ten years.

Those of you not attempting to market to boomers through the internet might be making a costly mistake. A new survey, released at last week’s Beyond the Numbers: Boomer Marketing Summit, shows that the baby boomer generation and their slightly younger counterparts have a significant online presence. ThirdAge Inc., an online marketing and consumer insight company, teamed up with JWT BOOM, a marketing firm specializing in reaching consumers over 40, to survey over 1,000 40+ adults to determine their current online preferences and habits. Their findings dispel some popular myths regarding the ways in which boomers navigate cyberspace.

The findings show that boomers and mid-lifers use broadband to access the internet in greater numbers than the national average across other age groups. Research also shows that boomers are using the internet primarily to email friends and family, to seek out more information about products before they purchase, to read articles and more generally, to browse the web. Not surprisingly, they are not writing blogs, playing games or downloading music or videos. The general assumption about boomers has been that they are not as vulnerable to viral or word-of-mouth marketing tactics as younger generations. The ThirdAge study finds the opposite to be true with 96% of respondents claiming that they are very or somewhat likely to share product information or news with friends. Additionally, 92% of those surveyed have read about a website in a print article and then visited online and 89% have seen a print advertisement and later visited online.

The lesson that should be taken away from these findings is that, in order to maximize the effectiveness of any boomer directed campaign, companies should pursue a comprehensive and integrated marketing plan that combines print media coverage, advertising and online outreach.

A growing entertainment trend among the nation’s seniors has received considerable media attention lately and executives ought to take notice. The popularity of Nintendo’s Wii game console, with its motion sensing Wiimote control, is reportedly increasing in senior living facilities, where Wii bowling and tennis tournaments are said to be becoming commonplace.

Several Erickson retirement communities have already incorporated Wii into their facilities. The cost of Wii is less than that of the more sophisticated Xbox or PS3 video game systems and fans claim that Wii is much more user-friendly, especially for seniors who are not tech savvy. Additionally, exercises that seniors might not otherwise be able to perform, such as swinging a tennis racket, are easily executed with the Wiimote. That, coupled with the increase in social interaction that comes as a result of group play, is apparently worth the $250 price tag.