Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Physical exercise can mitigate fall risk factors in individuals with dementia, including poor balance and fear of falling.
• Current exercise programs often lack engagement and accessibility for people with dementia, necessitating innovative solutions.
• Bootle Blast, a movement-tracking video game, has shown promise in preliminary testing for applicability to people with dementia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the feasibility (usability, acceptability, safety, enjoyment) of the Bootle Blast video game for people living with dementia.
• To gather feedback for future design adaptations of the Bootle Blast system.
• To inform a future pilot study on the impacts of Bootle Blast on balance and fall risk.

Main Methods:

• A multi-methods study involving 10 pairs of people with dementia and their family caregivers.
• Participants played four lower-body games on Bootle Blast at home for two weeks.
• Outcome measures included cognition, concerns about falling, balance, movement quality (skeletal data), enjoyment, and post-study interviews.

Main Results:

• Results will profile changes in participants' cognition, balance, movement quality, and concerns about falling.
• Post-study interviews will offer insights into intervention feasibility and potential game modifications.
• Recruitment is ongoing, with results anticipated for conference presentation.

Conclusions:

• Findings will guide design adaptations for Bootle Blast based on user feedback on usability, acceptability, safety, and enjoyment.
• The study will lay the groundwork for a larger pilot study assessing Bootle Blast's effectiveness in improving balance and reducing fall risk in people with dementia.