Evaluation of the effect of games and sports in the rehabilitation of the elderly
Subject Areas : Innovation in Sports Management
raha Barahmand
1
(Ph.D. of Sport Management, Department of Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.)
Keywords:
Abstract :
With the increase in the population of the elderly in societies, research in the field of health and rehabilitation of this group has received much attention. In order to motivate the participation of the elderly in daily activities, the combination of games and sports is of special importance. Taking advantage of sports games is a solution that can lead to sustainable participation of the elderly in sports and rehabilitation activities. A game is an instinctive and cheerful activity that agrees with the stages of human growth and development and is performed in a non-serious and unpredictable manner. Sports games should be close to nature and the smaller the distance between the two, It has more value. Many researchers improved the disadvantages of traditional sports rehabilitation with serious games for sports rehabilitation. The present research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effect of games and sports in the rehabilitation of the elderly. This study is a type of secondary studies and its implementation method was a review of the best evidence. The sources included, articles and websites were valid. For the purpose of detailed study, the sources were examined between 2012 and 2022. English sources were used in this article. The topics used in the search were: games and sports for the elderly, rehabilitation of the elderly, sports rehabilitation. Sources were collected by using Google Scholar, Science direct, PubMed and ResearchGate engines. The results of the research showed that sports games improve the physical, mental, cognitive and social conditions of the elderly, and the design of sports games should be done according to the needs of the elderly and with the participation of the elderly. Active virtual reality games are beneficial for the physical and mental health of the elderly. However, almost all consumer-level VR games address the general user without considering the characteristics of the elderly, such as their specific needs regarding cognitive and safety aspects. Mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics are of special importance in game design for the elderly. Regarding the design of games and sports, the following can be considered. 1) Choosing sports or sports activities suitable for daily life activities in order to provide meaningful and motivating sports fields for the elderly. 2) Building adequate learning structures by providing options that combine challenge and support. 3) Determining appropriate effect-response relationships for different rehabilitation goals depending on the stage of the disease. 4) Development and evaluation of appropriate educational environments. 5) Designing sports games based on the needs of the elderly. The use of game-based tools for rehabilitation is rapidly expanding. Cognitive rehabilitation through video games is a new and emerging topic in cognitive science. Sports games have the capacity to rehabilitate the elderly and it is necessary to research and evaluate the fields of game and sports development for this age group.
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