Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Science
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Impaired balance and cognition in people with dementia increase fall risk.
• Exergames offer a potential intervention for improving balance and movement confidence.
• This study investigates the impact of a digital bowling game on these factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effect of a 10-week digital bowling intervention on balance and movement confidence in people with dementia.
• To explore the feasibility of novel observational methods for measuring movement confidence.
• To compare performance and confidence during exergaming versus traditional balance assessments.

Main Methods:

• Sixty-six participants with mild to severe dementia engaged in a 20-session digital bowling program.
• Balance was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (MiniBESTest), and Sharpened Romberg.
• Two observational measures were developed to assess movement confidence from video recordings.

Main Results:

• While MiniBESTest scores remained stable, Sharpened Romberg scores declined significantly post-intervention.
• Movement confidence remained high throughout the exergaming intervention.
• Participants reported fear of falling during balance tests but not during exergaming.

Conclusions:

• Balance and movement confidence diverged; participants performed better in exergaming scenarios.
• Observational measures for movement confidence are feasible for people with dementia.
• Ecological approaches, like exergaming, may enhance the assessment of fall risk interventions.