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

Abstract

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.

A Novel Auditory-Cognitive Training App for Delaying or Preventing the Onset of Dementia: Participatory Design With Stakeholders

“…The results demonstrate that this can be achieved in a number of ways, including rewards, achievements, and competitive play with family and friends. This has parallels with the findings of Talaei-Khoei and Daniel [ 12 ], who found that their participants were motivated to improve their memory age as they experienced with a sense of achievement and reward. This study also found that participants wanted an extra level of socialization within the app through a virtual competition with friends to share scores and achievements.…”

“…The findings from this study demonstrate that even with this knowledge, changing health behaviors is challenging and often unsuccessful [ 16 ]. It is therefore critical to adopt the proposals of Talaei-Khoei and Daniel [ 12 ] and employ qualitative methods, as in this study, to focus specifically on why end users would find a training game to be useful and adopt it.…”

“…One study used a qualitative methodology to investigate older adults’ perceptions of playing the Xbox Kinect game Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Training as a way of maintaining their cognition through intellectual exercise [ 12 ]. As previously suggested to ensure that a game is successfully adopted by the intended user group, the design should be appropriate to engage the specific population.…”

“…As previously suggested to ensure that a game is successfully adopted by the intended user group, the design should be appropriate to engage the specific population. Talaei-Khoei and Daniel [ 12 ] attribute this to a perceived transfer effect.…”

Short-Term Touch-Screen Video Game Playing Improves the Inhibition Ability

“…In recent years, there has also been a growing body of research on the use of games to assess and train cognitive abilities in a variety of ways [38][39][40][41][42]. Specialized and standardized therapeutic applications of video gaming may help people with EF deficits to maintain cognitive functions [43].…”