Applying Game Thinking to Slips, Trips and Falls Prevention

Stud Health Technol Inform. 2017:242:606-613.

Abstract

Gamification is about the way in which 'game thinking' can engage participants and change behaviours in real, non-game contexts. This paper explores how game thinking can be applied to help prevent slips, trips and falls (STF), which are the largest cause of accidental death in older people across Europe. The paper contributes to the assistive technology, digital health and computer science/human behaviour communities by responding to a gap in the literature for papers detailing the innovation process of developing interventions to improve health and quality of life. The aim of the paper is of interest to the many stakeholders involved in enabling older people to live independent, confident, healthy and safe lives in the community.

Keywords: awareness raising; exercise; fall prevention, protection and detection; games and gamification; motivational technology.

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls / prevention & control*
  • Europe
  • Games, Recreational*
  • Humans
  • Quality of Life*