Developing a Digital Gaming Intervention with Yetitablet® to Improve Older People’s Functioning and Activity in Long-Term-Care – a Feasibility Study

Abstract

Long-term care (LTC) residents often have many health problems and functional limitations, and their sedentary behavior is common. Playing digital games is one way to improve the well-being, functioning, and activity of older people. The purpose of this study was to test a digital gaming intervention with a new device in an LTC environment before the larger effectiveness study. The aim was to produce information on the benefits of the digital gaming intervention for residents, the success of the implementation of the intervention and the factors affecting it. One LTC facility for older people participated in the study. The data was collected with a semi-structured thematic interview after an eight-week intervention. The interview data was analyzed using inductive content analysis. Staff experiences of the benefits of the intervention were classified into three main categories: The intervention enabled a new kind of physical activity, the intervention increased the social activity and brought residents together and the intervention brought joy and variety to the residents. Success of the intervention implementation was classified into three main categories: active participation of the residents in the gaming sessions, low involvement of staff in the implementation of the intervention and variable success of implementing the intervention protocol in the everyday life of LTC facility. Factors affecting the implementation formed nine main categories. This feasibility study highlighted important factors related to the implementation of the intervention, which must be considered in the future for the success of the effectiveness study.