Diet and Exercise for the Senior
Video games are not just for kids and teenagers any longer.
Seniors and the disabled populations are fast becoming the focused
users of video game technology. The invention of motion sensor
controller-free games has changed the way physical therapy and fitness
programs are used for these groups. The technology uses a sensing
system and the user only has to stand and move in front of it. The
system provides immediate feedback to the person playing the game,
showing how well the user is following the movements on the screen.
The
technology as a whole has a big future for the senior industry.
According to Aging in Place Technology, “It’s a user interface that
begs to be applied to caregiving, family communication and home health
applications.”
This new gaming category has garnered its own
term – exergaming – which defines video games that are also a form of
exercise. It is recognized for reversing the stereotype that gaming is
a sedentary activity by promoting an active lifestyle. First introduced
in 2003, Bill Gates and Microsoft presented a video game that included
a bike. Since then, video games in this special class have generated a
lot of interest in the health care and senior wellness sectors. It will
continue to gain a reputation for promoting positive rehabilitation
results and good health for seniors.
Companies like
Log-Tek USA have taken the Kinect technology and developed a functional
tool specifically for physical therapists and occupational therapists
to use with patients. This tool is called SHAPES, Spatially and
Human Aware Performance Evaluation System.
SHAPES requires
an Internet connection for both patient and therapist. The system
allows a therapist to record multiple full-bodied motion therapy
sessions to model exercises for either a group of patients or customize
a session for an individual patient. The patient stands in front of the
sensor device, starts the video session that was recorded by the
therapist, and performs the exercises that are on the screen. The
patient’s performance is captured in the system as he is following the
session on the screen. SHAPES provides real-time feedback to the
patient about how accurate he is in completing the exercise and also
stores the data for later analysis by the therapist. Once the therapist
has reviewed and evaluated the data from a remote location, he can make
adjustments to the routine by updating the video session or make
recommendations for improving the exercise session based on that data.
The
real-time accuracy feedback by SHAPES ensures that the patient
understands the exercises he is performing while he is participating.
He can correct improper form during the session, which supports proper
execution of the exercises even without the therapist in the room. The
patient is assured personal attention and support for their recovery
needs because both the patient and therapist can track progress toward
a recovery goal and identify areas of difficulty in performing
exercises.
Another company, GestureTek, offers its
Interactive Rehabilitation and Exercise System (IREX), which places
patients into a therapist-prescribed exercise regime through virtual
sport or gaming environments where they encounter on-screen images and
objects that are “designed to enhance the sense of ‘presence’ for the
patient.” Real-time visual and auditory feedback provide increased
stimulation for the patient. The therapists can customize a fun and
interactive exercise program that tests and strengthens single joints,
combined joint movements, or full body function, improving range and
control of motion and balance.
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According to Microsoft.com:
Microsoft's
Kinect controller-free gaming peripheral for the Xbox 360 sold 2.5
million sensors within its first 25 days on the market. That’s twice as
fast as the iPad sold when it was launched.
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The
Kinect technology provides seniors with an entertaining way of staying
active and engaging in therapy, which will encourage them to
participate and follow through on the prescribed therapy. Whether in
their own homes or at a care facility, seniors will benefit from the
easy access and the simplicity of this method and have opportunity for
improved health.
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