Serious Games for Dementia

With the current phenomenon of aging populations in most parts of the world, there are corresponding increases in age-related conditions associated with impaired cognitive status, such as dementia and delirium. Cognitive status is a key component in carrying out activities of daily living such as walking and bathing, and departures from normal cognitive status may be indicators of acute (e.g., delirium) or chronic (e.g., dementia) conditions. Individuals with cognitive impairments may benefit from playing serious games, which are games designed for a primary purpose other than entertainment. Serious games can potentially assess a variety of factors associated with cognitive decline in dementia, while keeping individuals active and stimulated, thereby potentially slowing down or furthering cognitive decline. In this workshop paper, we discuss the development and use of serious games focusing on cognitive functions that are affected by the progression of dementia.