Older Adults’ Perceptions About Commercially Available Xbox Kinect Exergames

Cognitive decline is one of the most feared aspects of growing older that may produce financial, personal, and societal burden and serious consequences on older adults’ independence and quality of life. The findings of previous studies suggest that playing digital games can activate cognitive skills, while exergames can be beneficial both for physical activities and cognitive training. In this study, we used the Xbox 360 Kinect gaming console that employs advanced sensing technologies to allow players to interact with a game using body movements. The purpose of this research was to explore the gaming experience of older adults and to identify the benefits and obstacles they encounter while playing Xbox Kinect games. A total of ten older adults (an average age 82.8) were recruited from two senior centers in British Columbia, Canada. For five weeks, participants played mini exergames from collections: Kinect Sports, Dr. Kawashima Body and Brain Connection, Your Shape Fitness Evolved, Kinect Adventures, and Dance Central 3. Each session lasted for 30 to 60 min. Interviews were conducted after each session and at the end of the study. The findings show that older adults enjoyed most games they played, but preferred ones that are familiar to them. Also, they valued the exercise aspect of the games because they had to use their cognitive and physical abilities at the same time. However, they also report many obstacles while using the system.