The Use of digital games to enhance the physical exercise activity of the elderly : a case of Finland

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), population ageing is a global phenomenon, which brings both challenges and opportunities for society. The current longer expected lifespan can create opportunities for the elderly to contribute in many ways to their families and communities. However, it greatly depends on their quality of life, which is affected by many factors, including physical and functional health, social well-being, and cognitive abilities. The WHO (2012) states that physical health is one of the indicators for the elderly’s quality of life, and it declines with increasing age. Participation in regular physical exercises can help the elderly improve their physical and mental health, and this has been aided by the use of modern technologies to promote the elderly’s physical and functional health. Of these latest technologies, digital games have shown promise to improve and enhance the elderly’s physical activities through fun and engaging gameplay. The literature highlights that some commercial games in the market (e.g. Microsoft Kinect- Sports and Nintendo Wii Sports games) have the potential to improve the elderly’s physical health such as gait, balance, and fall prevention. However, researchers argue that these commercial games are not designed specifically for the elderly and their physical exercise activities. They state that most commercial games are not user-friendly for the elderly whose functional and physical abilities are limited due to their advanced years. The literature points out that more studies need to be undertaken to understand the usability and usefulness of digital games for physical exercise activities so that game designers can create elderly-friendly digital games in the future. In Finland, the government has been focusing on promoting healthy ageing and increasing home care services for the elderly. In recent years, Finnish researchers have used digital games to promote older Finns’ healthy and active ageing. The existing literature, whilst showing the potential of digital games for elderly Finns’ physical health, also acknowledges further research is needed particularly in the context of Finland. Thus, in this study, we aimed at investigating digital games to specifically assess their applications for older Finns’ physical activities, focusing on the quality of users’ experiences, and their reported ease of use and perceived usefulness. We used the mixed methods approach, which applies both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The study design included four stages: requirements gathering, analysis and design, prototyping, and evaluation. Firstly, we conducted pre-studies to elicit users’ requirements. This was followed by the analysis of the resulting data to identify trends and patterns, which fuelled ideas in the brainstorming game design and development phases. The final product was a digital game-based physical exercise called the Skiing Game. We then evaluated the Skiing Game in Finland with 21 elderly Finns (M=7, F=14, Average Age =76). By using questionnaires, observation, and interviews, we investigated user experiences, focusing on the game’s usability, and usefulness for enhancing the physical activity and wellbeing of the elderly. We also conducted a comparative test of the Skiing Game in Japan with 24 elderly Japanese participants (M=12, F=12, Average Age = 72) to further understand non-Finnish elderly users’ experiences. The findings from the usability study of the Skiing Game in Finland demonstrated that elderly Finns had a positive experience in the gameplay, and their motivation was noticeably high. It also confirmed that elderly Finns have a genuine interest in digital game-based exercises and strong intentions to play digital games as a form of physical exercise in the future. Although prior to the study most of them had negative views and misconceptions about digital games, after the gameplay their attitudes were decidedly positive. They acknowledged that whilst playing digital games could be an alternative way of exercising for them their use would primarily be when they don’t have access to their usual non-digital physical exercise. The Japanese usability of the Skiing Game showed that the elderly Japanese people also had positive user experiences in playing digital games, and also intend to use them in the future. Similarly, after playing the game they reported that their attitudes towards digital games become positive, and indicated playing digital games could be an alternative way of exercising. Although the comparison of the two studies suggests that the elderly Finns had relatively more positive experiences whilst playing the Skiing Game, compared to their Japanese counterparts, in general, both groups had a positive experience in the gameplay and showed interest in digital games as an alternative exercise. Based on the usability lessons learned from these two studies, recommendations for practitioners and designers regarding improvements in game design and development are made in this report. Implementing these modifications into future designs and further development of digital games for the elderly will improve their commercial viability and user uptake. The findings from this study can provide valuable insights, particularly for Finnish policymakers and healthcare practitioners who are keen to introduce digital games into the aged-care sector in Finland. The studies have also provided valuable insights into the optimal methods for introducing Finnish digital games to international markets, in particular, digital games tailored specifically for the physical exercise needs and motivations of the elderly. By taking into consideration the limitations of the study, we provide our future studies and further improvements of the game to be conducted

Ageing and Technology: Perspectives from the Social Sciences

The booming increase of the senior population has become a social phenomenon and a challenge to our societies, and technological advances have undoubtedly contributed to improve the lives of elderly citizens in numerous aspects. In current debates on technology, however, the "human factor" is often largely ignored. The ageing individual is rather seen as a malfunctioning machine whose deficiencies must be diagnosed or as a set of limitations to be overcome by means of technological devices. This volume aims at focusing on the perspective of human beings deriving from the development and use of technology: this change of perspective - taking the human being and not technology first - may help us to become more sensitive to the ambivalences involved in the interaction between humans and technology, as well as to adapt technologies to the people that created the need for its existence, thus contributing to improve the quality of life of senior citizens

Smartphones

Many of the research approaches to smartphones actually regard them as more or less transparent points of access to other kinds of communication experiences. That is, rather than considering the smartphone as something in itself, the researchers look at how individuals use the smartphone for their communicative purposes, whether these be talking, surfing the web, using on-line data access for off-site data sources, downloading or uploading materials, or any kind of interaction with social media. They focus not so much on the smartphone itself but on the activities that people engage in with their smartphones

Os videojogos em rede para o cidadão sénior

Mestrado em Comunicação MultimédiaNa atualidade, o envelhecimento da população ativa é uma realidade omnipresente. Recentemente, o estudo de produtos ou serviços comercializados para o cidadão sénior começa a despertar o interesse junto da comunidade científica e empresarial. A mesma tendência poderá surgir na indústria dos videojogos em que os seniores, especialmente os reformados, poderão tornar-se nos próximos consumidores de videojogos. Até ao momento, vários estudos têm-se debruçado sobre o papel dos videojogos na manutenção ou melhoria das capacidades cognitivas. No entanto, a ausência de informação sobre a utilização dos videojogos em rede numa idade mais avançada parece prevalecer. A componente social dos videojogos em rede neste público-alvo tem sido descurada bem como o seu potencial na promoção da inclusão digital e minimização das barreiras sociais. O objetivo desta investigação é compreender as componentes de design de videojogos em rede que estimulam o cidadão sénior a jogar, utilizando o método de investigação social aplicada. Deste modo, dois grupos etários (G1: 50-64 anos e G2: idade igual ou superior a 65) com elevada literacia foram envolvidos neste estudo, com a finalidade de compreender as tendências do futuro cidadão sénior enquanto jogador. Esta investigação oferece uma nova perspectiva do perfil de jogador, ao aplicar um questionário a 245 jogadores com idade igual ou superior a 50, dois focus group e técnicas de análise de conteúdo aplicadas na contrução da prova de conceito para o game design de um jogo em rede para esta faixa etária. Os resultados indicam que não há diferenças significativas entre jogadores de diferentes faixas etárias relativamente às preferências de jogo, sendo que os jogos de aventura são preferidos. As capacidades cognitivas que mais gostam de praticar são a resolução de problemas e a memória, estando relacionadas com o tipo de jogos que jogam. Além disso, os desafios cognitivos são valorizados e a colaboração entre jogadores deve ser enfatizada em relação à competição ou combate. A informação recolhida por esta investigação permitiu a observação de que um novo perfil de jogador emerge e que novos desafios aguardam os designers de jogos.We are witnessing an increasingly ageing society. Recently, there has been a growing interest in studying products or services marketed to older adults either by the scientific community or by enterprises. In the video game industry, the elderly, especially retirees, tend to become the next generation of avid consumers. Many recent studies have focused on the role of video games in maintaining and improving cognitive capacities. However, there is a lack of information about the use of networked video games in later age. No real attention has been paid to the collective component of video games and their power to promote digital inclusion and eradicate social barriers. The aim of this research is to understand the main game design components of networked video games that encourage older adults to play, using an applied social research methodology. Thus, two age groups (G1: individuals aged between 50 and 64 years and G2: individuals aged 65 and over) with higher levels of education have been involved in this study, aimed at understanding the tendency of the next generation of older adults as gamers. The study provides insight into a new video gamer profile by employing a survey questionnaire with 245 gamers aged 50 and over, two focus groups and content analysis techniques used to the proof of concept of a networked video game addressed to this audience. Findings indicate that there were no significant differences between a younger age group and older adults in their choices of video games played. Adventure games are preferred and problem-solving and memory span were the skills that participants liked to practise. Cognitive challenges are valued and collaboration between players should be prioritized over competition and combat. These data support the view that a new older adult’s gamer profile is emerging and it will bring new challenges for game designers

Ageing and Technology

The booming increase of the senior population has become a social phenomenon and a challenge to our societies, and technological advances have undoubtedly contributed to improve the lives of elderly citizens in numerous aspects. In current debates on technology, however, the »human factor« is often largely ignored. The ageing individual is rather seen as a malfunctioning machine whose deficiencies must be diagnosed or as a set of limitations to be overcome by means of technological devices. This volume aims at focusing on the perspective of human beings deriving from the development and use of technology: this change of perspective – taking the human being and not technology first – may help us to become more sensitive to the ambivalences involved in the interaction between humans and technology, as well as to adapt technologies to the people that created the need for its existence, thus contributing to improve the quality of life of senior citizens

The Elusive Silver Gamer: Representations and Practices of Older Video Game Players

Over the past two decades, the increasing academic, institutional and media interest in older adults who play video games has popularized the figure of the “silver gamer” and its project of successful aging through digital play. This doctoral research examines what is at stake in older adults’ video game play. It stands at the intersection of the studies of aging, game studies, and studies of technology. The research accounts for the reciprocal relationship between discourses and practices as well as the agentivity of players within a constraining environment. It draws on fieldwork conducted in 2019-2020 in France: on one hand, biographical semi-directive interviews with sixteen older adults who play video games on their own; and, on the other hand, the ethnography of an association that organizes video game workshops in aged care institution, with non-participant observation in thirty of these workshops. The dissertation begins with an examination of the conflicted relationship between old age, play, and digital technology that limits older adults’ ability to become video game players. It then investigates the “silver gamer” discourse, outlining its techno-enthusiastic anti-aging narrative and its difficult implementation as a result of older players’ indifference towards its promises. The figure of the “silver gamer” establishes a narrow scope for older adults’ play, associated with health and self-discipline rather than fun or skill. The dissertation proposes an analysis of older adults’ gaming careers and play practices. The distinctive patterns in older adults’ video game play reflect the uneasy cultural and social condition of old age in contemporary societies. Older players tend to be particularly selfconscious, isolated from other players, discreet, and stable in their choice of games. Their play articulates a complex moral economy around time, freedom, and productivity. Their video game play exhibits a sense of marginality and restriction, but also adaptability and resistance, that is grounded in the experience of old age. The present research argues that the cultural representations, social norms, and material conditions associated with this stage of the life course interacts with individuals’ experience of leisure, play, and technology. In sum, (old) age matters in (video game) play

Emergency Services Workforce 2030: Changing work literature review

The Changing Work Literature Review collates a high-level evidence base around nine major themes related to internal workforce management approaches and working environments of fire, emergency service, and rural land management agencies. It is an output of the Workforce 2030 project and is one of two literature reviews that summarise the research base underpinning a high-level integrative report of emerging workforce challenges and opportunities, Emergency Services Workforce 2030. Workforce 2030 aimed to highlight major trends and developments likely to impact the future workforces of emergency service organisations, and their potential implications. The starting point for the project was a question: What can research from outside the sphere of emergency management add to our knowledge of wider trends and developments likely to shape the future emergency services workforce, and their implications? The Changing Work Literature Review focuses on nine themes relevant to changes that have implications for emergency service organisation’s internal workforce management approaches and working environments: 1) Recruitment, assessment, and selection, 2) Socialisation and training, 3) Work design, 4) Diversity and inclusion, 5) Managing mental health and wellbeing, 6) Leadership, 7) Change management, 8) Managing an ageing workforce, and 9) Managing volunteer workforces

Let’s Play: Understanding the Role and Significance of Digital Gaming in Old Age

Despite a marked increase in the use of digital games among older persons, there is insufficient research that provides insight into the gaming experiences of this population. A major demographic shift within the senior gaming market has ushered in a new perspective on the use of digital games as a tool for physical and cognitive health, and improved socialization. It is proposed that individual notions of play, which are developed over the life course, influence digital game play engagement and interaction preferences, and contribute to well-being. This study explored how self-perceptions of play over the course of the senior gamer’s life influence digital game engagement. Because the emerging area of senior gaming lacks theoretical structure, grounded theory methodology was employed. A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews of aging gamers was conducted. A total of forty participants (age 44 to 77 with a digital gameplay average of 11 hours per week) were identified and interviewed with the aid of an interview guide. Designed with a life course perspective in mind, this guide sought to explore each participant’s perception of play, personal forms of play throughout their life, and the role of digital games as a component of play in old age. Transcription and analysis (open, axial, and selective coding utilizing the method of constant comparisons) was employed throughout the entire interview process. Findings indicated that digital gaming is a valued form of play and a means for play continuity. An analysis of emergent themes led to the development of a theory that emphasizes three domains: ability, motivation, and experience. Two theoretical models that represent the static and dynamic nature of these domains within the life of a gamer demonstrate the theory. This theory provides understanding of the key factors that influence gameplay, which has the potential of being applied toward the development of better age- and ability-appropriate digital games for aging gamers

Aging Voices in the American Church Choir: A Study in Ethnomusicology and Ethnodoxology

Despite American church choirs being a distinct culture across all denominations and independent church entities, this traditional worship community of singers is a minority culture in the United States. Furthermore, existing journal literature frequently features young voices, e.g., children\u27s, middle school, teen, and university choirs and choruses. Aging-voice research literature began to appear in the 1990s for individual voices or voices in community choirs. Aging voices are a unique ethnicity found in every race within the church choir culture. Researched literature on the aging voice in the American church choir is conspicuous by its absence, pushing American church choir aging voices into a marginalized, minority culture. Interviews and surveys with directors of church choirs from coast-to-coast help inform a qualitative, ethnomusicological, and ethnodoxological study. The study considers both documented and unexplored possibilities of singers over a certain age effecting spiritual, cultural, and musical change in the American intergenerational church choir. Post-COVID-19, adult voices may have a unique opportunity to demonstrate physical and spiritual stamina in returning from isolation and quarantine to socialization and participation in face-to-face, life-long corporate worship. Since humanity longs to be understood, this work is needed to recover the disappearing culture of the American church choir and the aging-voice ethnicity within that same choir-culture community. The study could encourage research in sacred dance, drama, and education programs similar to those currently developing in medical ethnomusicolog