Improvement of engagement in physical activities and quality of life in dementia: study into the (cost-)effectiveness of exergaming

In this project, the (cost-)effectiveness of an innovative way of exercising for people with dementia will be studied: exergaming. Exergaming technology focuses on gaming exercises that are controlled by physical movements of the player. The aim of this intervention is to stimulate people living with dementia to exercise indoors in an enjoyable, safe way, thereby promoting physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning and quality of life. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted among participants with dementia who attend day-care centers with or without exergaming activities. The effectiveness of exergaming will be compared to regular activities in day-care centers on performance of physical activities and mobility (primary outcome) and on physical, cognitive, social and emotional functioning, and quality of life of people with dementia. For informal caregivers, the effectiveness will be evaluated on experienced burden, quality of life and positive care experiences (secondary outcomes). Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness will be studied as well as the satisfaction with exergaming and factors to improve implementation of exergaming in dementia care.

Participants will be recruited from the Netherlands.

Persons with dementia who engage in exergaming in day centres will be more physically active and show improved functioning compared to day centres offering regular activities.

at baseline, and three and six months later

Exergaming (doing physical exercises in a virtual cognitive gaming environment) as compared to regular activities in day care