Smart Stimulation for People with Dementia

A Tovertafel, or “Magic Table” in Dutch, uses a projector and sensors to create interactive games for people with dementia. From catching fish and popping bubbles to assembling puzzles, the games reduce apathy, improve emotional wellbeing, and encourage physical movement.

By 2025, Britain expects to have one million citizens suffering from dementia. The National Health Service is testing a new form of therapy where scenes reminiscent of a person with dementia's past are played on a virtual reality headset. So far, research shows that bringing up images, objects, and discussions from a person's past can help them recover more memories, connect better with family members, and achieve better mental health.

Connecting with art enriches the lives of patients struggling with dementia and Alzheimers. Across Germany, several programs are using art to stimulate the minds of an aging population. At the Lehmbruck Museum in Duisburg, seniors meet to discuss art pieces that affect them. Elsewhere, in Bonn, the Demezionen theater ensemble performs for retirement homes. And even clowns can bring a positive atmosphere to seniors struggling with dementia!

Living with dementia can often lead to loneliness for not just those inflicted, but also the caregivers involved. To help create a community around this, the Ypsilanti Senior Center has started a monthly Memory Cafe that serves as a place for others in these situations to converse and connect.

Mental health therapists in Colorado and the UK independently developed Minecraft-based therapy sessions during the pandemic when traditional play therapy moved online. Therapists create secure virtual worlds where children and teens can engage in therapeutic activities through gameplay. Those who participate are more animated and engaged, and typically never miss a Minecraft session, unlike traditional therapy.

An interactive virtual reality experience developed with transgender individuals called Body of Mine VR is fostering empathy and understanding by sharing personal narratives and anecdotes that demonstrate their journeys, struggles, and triumphs.

Agric Connect is raising climate change awareness in Ghana with a video game called “The Planet Saver.” The game is structured like a quiz and incorporates a leaderboard, social sharing and a forum to ask experts questions.

Trualta is an online resource that provides free training, tips and other resources for caregivers of loved ones with dementia. The platform is available in 32 states and has been used by more than 12,000 caregivers since it was rolled out in May 2022. Studies have found caregivers who use the app feel more confident in providing care and overall less burnt out.

Online gaming communities are helping people who live with chronic illness by providing forums for social connection and emotional solidarity. The multiplayer game Animal Crossing, for example, helped people meet basic psychological needs during lockdowns.

Bank of America is training its employees with virtual reality and artificial intelligence. The immersive program runs them through simulations of scenarios they might encounter on the job such as an upset customer or a bank robbery. The new method helps employees learn faster and makes them more comfortable performing tasks.