How younger elderly realize usefulness of cognitive training video games to maintain their independent living.

The objective of this paper is to understand the perception that younger elderly persons have towards the usefulness of playing Xbox Kinect video games as an assistive technology that is designed to maintain their cognitive abilities. Available literature highlights two kinds of assistive technologies; the first being Supportive Technologies that provide aid for already-declined functional abilities (such as hearing aids), and the second being Empowering Technologies that maintain functional abilities which have not yet declined (such as Xbox Kinect cognitive games). The difference in the nature between supportive and empowering technologies plays an important role in perceiving their benefits. For instance, while hearing aids as a supportive technology are perceived as useful through the improvement of hearing abilities, cognitive training games as an empowering technology have a long-term usefulness for cognitive abilities. This study conducts twenty-one qualitative interviews (range 65–87 years; mean = 71; SD = 3.81) and introduces perceived transfer effect. This effect allows the elderly to perceive the usefulness of playing cognitive training video games, which are designed to cultivate the cognitive abilities. In addition, this study found that the elderly value their independent living, and through cognitive video games, the elderly may remain capable of living independently.N/

Modeling a User-Oriented Ontology on Accessible Homes for Supporting Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in Healthy Aging

Inaccessibility of the buildings is the most common obstacle which presents barriers for older adults with different motor abilities. An inclusive design process, where elderly and designers work together, is required to overcome this obstacle. To do so, this study proposes a user-oriented model (i) to define a knowledge presentation for designers; (ii) to assist them during the development of accessible homes and (iii) to accommodate exemplary home attributes for activities of daily living (ADL). The ontology for this model was first constructed by collecting user information through LEGO® Serious Play® on the four subdomains of motor abilities: (1) strength; (2) balance; (3) locomotion; and (4) endurance. The findings of this study are significant for future aging studies and mobile computing researches in terms of indicating that diverse motor ability difficulties are associated with different requirements of accessibility attributes, and structured knowledge is required to diagrammatize their association with ADL

Perceptions of Older Adults on the Use of an Interactive Video Game in Promoting Health and Well-Being

Background: This study explored the perceptions of older adults on the use of a custom built interactive video game (IVG) in promoting health and well-being among the older adult population. Method: This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach and enrolled 10 older adults over the age of 65 years in a client-centered, custom-built interactive video game program. This program was designed to promote activity tolerance, balance, range of motion, cognitive skills, and enjoyment through physical activity. The participants completed up to 12 Coin Catcher IVG sessions over a 4-week period. A postprogram, semi-structured, and audio-recorded interview explored their perceptions and experiences of the IVG. Results: The participant interview transcripts were individually coded, categorized, and then collapsed into broader themes. The three themes emerged as: I was thinking all the time, it is a good workout, and I thought it was fun. Conclusion: The custom built IVG is perceived by the older adult population to be engaging and meaningful while promoting physical performance

Seniors Living with Alzheimer\u27s Disease and Dementia: The Promise of App Technology

The purpose of this paper considers the potential of seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia using “apps” on Mobile Application Technology that may assist their daily issues. Based on the Ontario 2017 budget, the government’s plan to improve health care services by providing additional funding will significantly impact citizens who use these services on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the number of Canadian citizens that will develop Alzheimer’s and dementia are projected to double in the next decade. Because of this projection, the Dementia Strategy is meant to assist those affected by the illness as well as ensuring their quality of life is maintained. The research problem looks into alleviating the high demand for health care services through apps, and hopefully, with scientific research, apps can also convey independence and their dignity as seniors going through Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. The design of the study looks into four types of areas: cognitive training, physical training, companionship and daily task reminds. Each area reviews one app that corresponds to each category and the significance it has for seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia. The future of app technology is determined by the ability of the government to conduct scientific research and experts can test app technology on seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia

Playing Cards Using the “Tepuk Nyamuk” Method Improves Cognitive Function and Social Interaction in the Elderly

Playing cards using the “tepuk nyamuk” system is a game using a standard 52-card deck to focus between the words spoken on the card that is to be issued while tapping the back of the hand between the players on the card. The study aimed to find out the effect of playing cards using the “tepuknyamuk” method on improving cognitive function and social interaction.This study was quasi-experimental with 30 respondents who were elderly individuals who experienced cognitive decline and social interactions. The independent variable was playing cards in the “tepuknyamuk” method and the dependent variables were cognitive function and social interaction. The results indicate that there was an influence from playing cards on cognitive improvement (p=0.000) and social interaction (p=0.000). Playing cards in the “tepuknyamuk” method has the positive effect of improving cognitive function and social interaction for older adults. Further studies are suggested to determine the effect playing cards on other cognitive components. Keyword: playing cards in the “tepuknyamuk” method, cognitive, social interaction, elderl

Sustainable Technology and Elderly Life

The coming years will see an exponential increase in the proportion of elderly people in our society. This accelerated growth brings with it major challenges in relation to the sustainability of the system. There are different aspects where these changes will have a special incidence: health systems and their monitoring; the development of a framework in which the elderly can develop their daily lives satisfactorily; and in the design of intelligent cities adapted to the future sociodemographic profile. The discussion of the challenges faced, together with the current technological evolution, can show possible ways of meeting the challenges. There are different aspects where these changes will have a special incidence: health systems and their monitoring; the development of a framework in which the elderly can develop their daily lives satisfactorily; and in the design of intelligent cities adapted to the future sociodemographic profile. This special issue discusses various ways in which sustainable technologies can be applied to improve the lives of the elderly. Six articles on the subject are featured in this volume. From a systematic review of the literature to the development of gamification and health improvement projects. The articles present suggestive proposals for the improvement of the lives of the elderly. The volume is a resource of interest for the scientific community, since it shows different research gaps in the current state of the art. But it is also a document that can help social policy makers and people working in this domain to planning successful projects

Preventive computing technology for successful aging

A pervasive societal and personal concern is how we can maintain or improve our quality of life as we age. The purpose of this thesis is to assess the current state of technology as it is (or can be) used in everyday life to support healthy and happy older adults by maintaining physical fitness, cognitive health, and emotional fulfillment. In addressing this problem, much focus has been placed on assistive technology, replacing or compensating for functionality that has declined or been lost, or creating a “safe zone.” Our focus is on technology that is not assistive in this sense, but rather supportive in expanding capabilities to remain independent in their current environment. If older adults can retain their capabilities, the need for a myriad of assistive technologies would be postponed. Therefore, the alternative perspective we offer is more preventive and proactive

Exercise and rehabilitation delivered through exergames in older adults: An integrative review of technologies, safety and efficacy

Background: There has been a rapid increase in research on the use of virtual reality (VR) and gaming technology as a complementary tool in exercise and rehabilitation in the elderly population. Although a few recent studies have evaluated their efficacy, there is currently no in-depth description and discussion of different game technologies, physical functions targeted, and safety issues related to older adults playing exergames. Objectives: This integrative review provides an overview of the technologies and games used, progression, safety measurements and associated adverse events, adherence to exergaming, outcome measures used, and their effect on physical function. Methods: We undertook systematic searches of SCOPUS and PubMed databases. Key search terms included “game”, “exercise”, and “aged”, and were adapted to each database. To be included, studies had to involve older adults aged 65 years or above, have a pre-post training or intervention design, include ICT-implemented games with weight-bearing exercises, and have outcome measures that included physical activity variables and/or clinical tests of physical function. Results: Sixty studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The studies had a broad range of aims and intervention designs and mostly focused on community-dwelling healthy older adults. The majority of the studies used commercially available gaming technologies that targeted a number of different physical functions. Most studies reported that they had used some form of safety measure during intervention. None of the studies reported serious adverse events. However, only 21 studies (35%) reported on whether adverse events occurred. Twenty-four studies reported on adherence, but only seven studies (12%) compared adherence to exergaming with other forms of exercise. Clinical measures of balance were the most frequently used outcome measures. PEDro scores indicated that most studies had several methodological problems, with only 4 studies fulfilling 6 or more criteria out of 10. Several studies found positive effects of exergaming on balance and gait, while none reported negative effects. Conclusion: Exergames show promise as an intervention to improve physical function in older adults, with few reported adverse events. As there is large variability between studies in terms of intervention protocols and outcome measures, as well as several methodological limitations, recommendations for both practice and further research are provided in order to successfully establish exergames as an exercise and rehabilitation tool for older adults.© 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. This is the authors' accepted and refereed manuscript to the article. Locked until januar 2017-01-01 due to the copyright restrictions