Serious games refer to a series of activities performed by combining various aspects of video games, which were originally developed for military purposes in the 1970s. Recently, serious games appear in more advanced forms with the development of computers and mobile devices and have been widely used in education and health care, such as physical rehabilitation and cognitive training. A recent meta-analysis included 17 studies with 1,280 older adults by Kim et al. (2022) reported that serious games significantly reduced depression in older adults, with a more significant effect size in community or home settings compared to in hospital settings. Particularly, serious games including physical activity had a significant impact on reducing depression. Together with previous findings on improving physical and mental functions among elderly population, serious games are considered appropriate interventions for enhancing overall wellbeing for elderly.

Reference:

Kim et al. J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(9). doi:10.2196/37753