How younger elderly realize usefulness of cognitive training video games to maintain their independent living

摘要

The objective of this paper is to understand the perception that younger elderly persons have towards the usefulness of playing Xbox Kinect video games as an assistive technology that is designed to maintain their cognitive abilities. Available literature highlights two kinds of assistive technologies; the first being Supportive Technologies that provide aid for already-declined functional abilities (such as hearing aids), and the second being Empowering Technologies that maintain functional abilities which have not yet declined (such as Xbox Kinect cognitive games). The difference in the nature between supportive and empowering technologies plays an important role in perceiving their benefits. For instance, while hearing aids as a supportive technology are perceived as useful through the improvement of hearing abilities, cognitive training games as an empowering technology have a long-term usefulness for cognitive abilities. This study conducts twenty-one qualitative interviews (range 65-87 years; mean= 71; SD= 3.81) and introduces perceived transfer effect. This effect allows the elderly to perceive the usefulness of playing cognitive training video games, which are designed to cultivate the cognitive abilities. In addition, this study found that the elderly value their independent living, and through cognitive video games, the elderly may remain capable of living independently.