چكيده لاتين
Aging is a significant global issue of the present century. Declining reproductivity rates and increasing life expectancy due to medical advancements and improved living conditions are among the primary factors contributing to the growing elderly population. The aging process is associated with a gradual decline in physical and cognitive abilities, which can lead to substantial costs. Therefore, there is a growing need for rehabilitation methods to maintain and enhance the physical and cognitive skills of older adults to promote healthy aging and increase their independence. In recent years, active video games have emerged as an engaging and motivating approach in the field of rehabilitation. These games often challenge userʹs cognitive and physical abilities by incorporating both cognitive and motor components. Given these considerations, the need to design an active video game for dual-task rehabilitation of older adults is evident. However, the games presented in similar studies often utilize expensive and inaccessible equipment for motion detection, limiting their suitability for home use. This research presents a computer based motion game designed for dual-task rehabilitation of older adults, employing a standard webcam for motion detection. To validate the game, following the design and implementation of the game scenario, the content validity of the developed software package was assessed by experts and specialists in the fields of elderly rehabilitation and game design. The results of this validation indicated a content validity index (CVI) of 90.2% for the proposed game, which is considered an acceptable level. To evaluate the gameʹs effectiveness, a preliminary pilot study was conducted on five elderly individuals residing in a Qom nursing home as a single-case experimental design. The participantʹs physical, cognitive, and dual-task abilities were assessed using the MMSE, TUG (normal and cognitive), and FSST tests over 16 sessions, including baseline, intervention, and follow-up assessments. The results of these tests were analyzed both visually and statistically. The statistical analysis results aligned with the visual analysis, demonstrating significant improvements in cognitive status (average MMSE scores increased by 1.6 and 2.8 in intervention and follow-up phases, respectively, compared to baseline), physical ability (average normal TUG scores decreased by 0.8 and 0.9 in intervention and follow-up phases, respectively, compared to baseline), and agility (average FSST scores increased by 1.5 in intervention phase compared to baseline). Additionally, a significant improvement in dual-task performance was observed (average cognitive TUG scores decreased by 2.1 and 2.0 in intervention and follow-up phases, respectively, compared to baseline). In conclusion, this computer based motion game can serve as an effective tool for dual-task cognitive-motor rehabilitation of older adults with the potential for home use.
