Level up! How Gamed-Based Activities Transform Learning and Alleviate Stress in Institutionalized Elderly

Mental health issues are a critical concern for the elderly, as the inability to manage stress during stimulation activities can significantly impair their ability to accept and effectively learn new tasks, thereby affecting their performance in daily life activities. Serious games are increasingly recognized as valuable in the context of rehabilitation; however, there is a paucity of studies examining how elderly individuals manage stress and learn in regular practice using such games. In this study, 10 institutionalized elderly participants underwent 6 game-based stimulation sessions playing the serious games Ta!Ti! and Mexerico. Learning variables, including time and error rates, were assessed at baseline (T0), mid-point (T1), and the final session (T2), along with stress management indicators, specifically cortisol levels, at T0 and T2. The findings revealed that learning profiles improved throughout the program, with more pronounced gains observed initially. Additionally, stress levels decreased following each game-based session. The study identified significant relationships between stress management and learning profiles, suggesting that game-based activities can effectively enhance both learning outcomes and stress reduction in the elderly.

Description

Proceedings of the volume: Videogame Sciences and Arts Conference name: 14th International Conference, Leiria, Portugal, December 5–6, 2024
Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science (CCIS,volume 2324)
Included in the following conference series: International Conference on Videogame Sciences and Arts

Keywords

Elderly Game-Based Intervention Learning Serious Games

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.8/13931

Citation

Lacomba-Arnau, E. et al. (2025). Level up! How Gamed-Based Activities Transform Learning and Alleviate Stress in Institutionalized Elderly. In: Marto, A., et al. Videogame Sciences and Arts. VJ 2024. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 2324. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81713-7_8