Electronic Games for Aged Care and Rehabilitation

The declining cognitive and motor abilities has become a major problem in the health care of the elderly, often leading to potentially fatal falls. Current rehabilitation strategies to address this issue include routine physiotherapy which is often dull and boring for the patient, leading to poor adherence. In recent years, the use of video games in physical therapy has reportedly had a positive affect on rehabilitation strategies. We propose using a modified version of a music video game, dance dance revolution (DDR), to motivate the elderly and increase adherence to rehabilitation. We also present the design of a mobile monitoring system which allows the health professional to monitor the patient's progress.