Development of personalized exercogs for older adults care: A feasibility and single-arm study

The prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and dementia is rapidly increasing worldwide, profoundly impacting older adults' quality of life and presenting significant challenges to healthcare systems. The heterogeneity of pathologies, the lack of customizable and available resources, and the scarcity of healthcare professionals are recurrent issues in aged care facilities. This study aimed to validate Exercogs®, a newly integrated portable exergaming platform designed to enhance cognitive function in older adults within elderly care facilities.

We conducted two experiments: 1) a feasibility study with 12 healthcare professionals and 30 older adults to assess technology acceptance and usability, and 2) a single-arm pre-post study involving 204 seniors in aged care facilities to explore the potential multidimensional effects of the four Exercogs® (cognitive, affective, social, functional, and quality of life). The intervention was implemented over 12 weeks, with two weekly sessions.

The intervention was well-received, with high-acceptance among older adults and healthcare professionals. Adherence was notably high (91.68%) with strong interest in continued use. Significant improvements were observed across multiple domains commonly impacted by aging, including cognition, mood, perceived loneliness, and quality of life, reflecting positive outcomes across all evaluated dimensions.

Preliminary results suggest that the Exercogs® is a promising tool to support healthcare professionals in aged care facilities. Future research should include a control group and randomized clinical trials to further validate these findings.