Effects of Exergaming on Physical and Cognitive Outcomes of Older Adults Living in Long-Term Care Homes: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND: Aging is often associated with increasing functional decline as measured by deterioration in mobility and activities of daily living. Older adults (OAs) living in residential long-term care (LTC) homes in particular may not engage in regular physical exercise, significantly increasing their risk of further cognitive and functional decline. Exergaming may hold promise for OAs by combining exercise and technology-based gaming systems, but evidence for its use in LTC is unknown. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted to summarize the effects of exergaming interventions on physical, cognitive, and quality of life (QoL) outcomes for OAs (>65 years of age) living in LTC. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies involving 657 OAs living in LTC met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were associated with…