Digital Game Technology & Health for Older Adults

This chapter provides readers with an overview of digital gaming trends across Europe and Australia, using current and up-to-date statistics detailing gaming preferences, demographics and digital device usage and ownership. Providing a contemporary overview of the literature in the field of digital gaming and ageing the authors aim to demonstrate the work that has been covered by international academics. These domains include a series of reviews which have focused on health rehabilitation and gaming, eHealth, digital gaming, fall prevention and active ageing. Further discussion focuses on the use and deployment of mobile health apps and digital gaming and how they are used within the field of ageing, in regard to gamification, chronic health conditions and the nature of interaction and engagement by users. Results are presented from the iStoppFalls project, whereby an ICT survey was deployed to ascertain participants ICT usage, ownership and behaviours. The results in this chapter focus primarily on digital games, how participants learnt to play games, their preferred game genres and online gaming habits. Common challenges are explored and discussed by the authors in regards to gaming research with recommendations proposed for future use and engagement of digital gaming, mobile health apps and wearables.