Petoskey           Duplicate   Bridge Center
       (PDBC) 

Learning and playing Duplicate Bridge provide multiple benefits for
senior citizens. For this reason, the PDBC engages in an active outreach program.

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PDBC maintains a website to inform players of ongoing and current activities,
schedule of play, PDBC management information, etc. It includes a Educational Resource Center tab to help direct players to books, magazines, and online
opportunities that could be useful to them for their leaning needs.
 

A monthly newsletter, the e-Shuffler, is distributed electronically to all
members and includes information on upcoming classes, seminars and other
learning opportunities. Additionally, it includes clarification on the rules of
the game, explanation of bidding conventions and playing strategies,
recognition of players who have achieved incremental goals, and information
about upcoming regional and national ACBL activities.
 

Word-of-mouth remains the most persuasive tool for reaching those in the
four-county area who have an interest in learning to play bridge or furthering
their learning if they have played in the past. These efforts are augmented by
outreach through newspaper articles and flyers posted in the surrounding
communities inviting participation in the summer classes or any of the
PDBC’s activities. A growing awareness of the positive health aspects of the
game and the PDBC’s commitment to supporting the learning process is
evidenced in the number of players who gather at the Bridge Center.
 

Examples of the ever-evolving body of research on aging and playing bridge
illustrate the benefits and demonstrate the importance of outreach.
- The University of California, Berkeley’s study in 2000 by biologist
Marian Diamond shows that playing bridge stimulates the immune
system. Diamond’s study of brain activity and comparison of immune
cell counts shows “strong evidence that an area of the brain involved in
playing bridge stimulates the immune system, in particular, the thymus
gland that produces white blood cells called T cells or T lymphocytes.”
Science Daily, November 23, 2000
- “A 2014 study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that
playing card and board games can help older people retain their mental
sharpness. Researchers discovered that the frequency of playing games
is associated with greater brain volume in several regions that are
affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Those who played more frequently
also scored higher on cognitive tests.” AARP Bulletin, March 2015
- Mayo Clinic neurologist Keith A. Josephs posits, based upon what he
acknowledges as soft data, that while playing challenging games may
not completely prevent mental degeneration or Alzheimer’s, it “might

delay the onset of symptoms so that the individual can function at a
higher level.” AARP Bulletin, March 2015
- Mayo research results released in 2017 of a four-year study of 2000
adults aged 70-93 found that engaging in “simple activities including
playing bridge . . . can stave off mental decline.” Stat News by
Associated Press, January 30, 2017

 

Each month, the PDBC donates a portion of its game fees to support local
community and ACBL-sanctioned charities such as its Educational
Foundation which promotes teaching and learning and the ACBL Charity
Foundation which provides grants to both national organizations such as the
Alzheimer’s Association and local non-profits. In 2019, the Northwest
Michigan Habitat for Humanity was the beneficiary of the local giving.
 

Another charity supported by the PDBC is the ACBL Junior Fund which
specifically underwrites initiatives for youth learning opportunities including
classes and summer camps. Young people, as well as senior citizens, benefit
from learning and playing bridge. Dr. Christopher Shaw conducted two
research studies, results of which were released in 2005. “According to a
study from Carlinville, Illinois, middle-school children who learned bridge
had test scores on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills that were 10-35% higher on the
various subtests than their non-bridge playing peers.”