MentalSense. A ludic and didactic game for people with dementia

Com o envelhecimento da população, é cada vez mais comum encontrar pessoas com demência. A demência é caracterizada pela perda de habilidades emocionais e cognitivas. Nesta dissertação, propomos um novo sistema para estimulação cognitiva através de jogos, o MentalSense, onde pessoas em estado demencial podem realizar alguns exercícios cognitivos para cuidar de um animal de estimação, trabalhando no mínimo cinco domínios cognitivos: atenção, memória episódica, raciocínio lógico, pensamento abstrato e funções executivas. O jogo está implementado em tablet para poder ser usado em diversos lugares e situações. Foram realizados diversos estudos, desde questionários online e entrevistas a cuidadores formais e informais, e seguiu-se um design participativo com psicólogo e psicomotricista, onde obtivemos informação sobre as necessidades desta população e de quem presta cuidados a estes. Realizámos um estudo piloto, o qual culminou em sugestões para o melhoramento da aplicação final. O protótipo final foi testado através de um estudo de caso com dois participantes acompanhados por um psicólogo, que realizaram várias sessões com o MentalSense, com resultados positivos.As the population ages, it is increasingly common to find people with dementia. Dementia is characterized by the loss of emotional and cognitive abilities. In this dissertation, we propose a new system for cognitive stimulation through games, MentalSense, where people with dementia can perform some cognitive exercises to take care of a pet, working on at least five cognitive domains: attention, episodic memory, logical reasoning, abstract thinking and executive functions. The game is implemented on a tablet so it can be used in different places and situations. Several studies were carried out, from online questionnaires and interviews with formal and informal caregivers, and a participatory design with a psychologist and psychometrician was followed, where we obtained information about the needs of this population and those who provide care to them. We carried out a pilot study, which culminated in suggestions for improving the final application. The final prototype was tested through a case study with two participants accompanied by a psychologist, who carried out several sessions with MentalSense, with positive results

Guidelines for supporting children with disabilities' play: methodologies, tools, and contexts

All children want to play. This is also true for children with disabilities. Facilitating their engagement in play, whatever children’s capacities, is a central premise of people who view play as fundamental for their development and well-being. Play for the sake of play, just for recreational pleasure and enjoyment, without any secondary goal. In this book you’ll find guidelines to support children with disabilities’ play. They can be a useful tool for ensuring that children with disabilities can fully enjoy their right to play, for improving the quality of children’s play, enhancing their play satisfaction and participation, and reducing play deprivation. Written in a lay-person language, providing ready-to-use information, this book is for parents, teachers, rehabilitation professionals, toy manufacturers, policy makers and in general for all of those interested in the topic of play for children with disabilities. This publication results from the research and work of a transdisciplinary team, all participants in the COST Action “LUDI - Play for Children with Disabilities”.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Perspectives and research on play for children with disabilities: collected papers

This book includes eight chapters reflecting various approaches towards the theme of play for children with disabilities that characterised the work of the members of the COST Action TD1309 "LUDI-Play for Children with Disabilities". Alongside these multifaceted points of view, some theoretical aspects emerged as a common background: the ICF-CY theoretical perspective, the vision of "play for the sake of play" and play as a fundamental right

Perspectives and research on play for children with disabilities. Collected papers

This book includes eight chapters reflecting various approaches towards the theme of play for children with disabilities that characterised the work of the members of the COST Action TD1309 “LUDI–Play for Children with Disabilities”. Alongside these multifaceted points of view, some theoretical aspects emerged as a common background: the ICF-CY theoretical perspective, the vision of “play for the sake of play” and play as a fundamental right

Recreating living experiences from past memories through virtual worlds for people with dementia

This paper describes a study aimed to understand the use of 3D virtual world (VW) technology to support life engagement for people with dementia in long-term care. Three versions of VW prototypes (reminiscence room, virtual tour and gardening) utilising gestured-base interaction were developed iteratively. These prototypes were tested with older residents (80+) with dementia in care homes and their caregivers. Data collection was based on observations of how the residents and care staff interacted collaboratively with the VW. We discussed in depth the use of VWs in stimulating past memories and how this technology could help enhance their sense of self through various means. We also highlighted key approaches in designing VWs to sustain attention, create ludic experiences and facilitate interaction for older people with dementia

Rehabilitative devices for a top-down approach

In recent years, neurorehabilitation has moved from a "bottom-up" to a "top down" approach. This change has also involved the technological devices developed for motor and cognitive rehabilitation. It implies that during a task or during therapeutic exercises, new "top-down" approaches are being used to stimulate the brain in a more direct way to elicit plasticity-mediated motor re-learning. This is opposed to "Bottom up" approaches, which act at the physical level and attempt to bring about changes at the level of the central neural system. Areas covered: In the present unsystematic review, we present the most promising innovative technological devices that can effectively support rehabilitation based on a top-down approach, according to the most recent neuroscientific and neurocognitive findings. In particular, we explore if and how the use of new technological devices comprising serious exergames, virtual reality, robots, brain computer interfaces, rhythmic music and biofeedback devices might provide a top-down based approach. Expert commentary: Motor and cognitive systems are strongly harnessed in humans and thus cannot be separated in neurorehabilitation. Recently developed technologies in motor-cognitive rehabilitation might have a greater positive effect than conventional therapies

Evaluation of children's play. Tools and methods

This book is one of the outcomes of the COST Action TD139 “LUDI – Play for Children with Disabilities" (2014–2018), a multidisciplinary network of European researchers and practitioners devoted to the theme of play from different perspectives. This book contributes to the LUDI reflection about play, by reviewing the existing knowledge on play evaluation and by presenting tools and methodologies for play assessment