It's 1 p.m. at the Heritage Estates' Brain Gym in Livermore, California, and the gym rats are starting their workout.

Dorothy Emmrich, age 100, straps on a headset and glares at a computer screen showing rows of playing cards. Each makes a different sound when she clicks on it. She searches for pairs that make matching sounds, a classic memory game.

Brain-training programs for the elderly ``will become as common as bingo,'' says SharpBrains' Fernandez, 35, whose company promotes science-based cognitive training. ``Over 400 senior residential facilities have brain-fitness centers today.''