Efficacy of Cognitive Training Experiences in the Elderly: Can Technology Help?

Cognitive training has been a growing field in recent years. It is established that training improves cognitive abilities in healthy elderly people. Specialized software and commercial devices including the possibility of cognitive gaming has been placed into the market; most of them are based on neuropsychological models of cognitive aging, but few have been scientifically tested. Computerized cognitive games are being developed in "HERMES --- Cognitive Care and Guidance for Active Aging", a research project co-funded by the European Union under the Seventh Framework Program (FP7). Cognitive training designed for HERMES includes daily live events introduced by the user into the system, allowing the stimulation of prospective memory with their own information. Gaming model, concepts and assessment aims (including usability, subjective value and efficacy) are described.