- Project
- Completed
Cognitive – Adaptation – Behavior: Playing with Patients Suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease
Philippe Robert Professor of Psychiatry
Philippe Robert is a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis. He is the Director of the Cognition, Behaviour and Technology (CobTek) team, co-director of the Memory Resources and Research Center (CMRR) at the Nice University Hospital, and President of the IA (Innovation – Alzheimer – Autism) association. Professor Philippe Robert is also a member of the Scientific Committee of Game in Lab.
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Date de démarrage du projet :
2019/09/02 -
Status :
Completed -
Research organization :
IA Association (Innovation – Alzheimer – Autism – Affect – Autonomy), Claude Pompidou Institute, Nice -
Team :
Julie Brousse and Laure Chantepy, IA Association (Innovation – Alzheimer – Autism – Affect – Autonomy)
In 2019, Professor Philippe Robert's project to assess the impact of board games on the relationship between patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease or related conditions and their caregivers or family members was selected in the first call for projects launched by Game in Lab. This project highlighted interesting results for both institutions and families, leading to the development of the Access+ range, a collection of board games designed to be accessible and adapted for individuals with cognitive impairments.
Project presentation
The CAB (Cognitive – Adaptation – Behaviour) research project aims to evaluate the influence of board games and their adaptation on social relationships between patients with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers or family members. According to INSERM, Alzheimer’s disease and related conditions affect over 900,000 people in France and impact the daily lives of many families. The loss of independence and behavioral changes in a patient directly affect the organization of the family circle, disrupting each individual’s role and place. The research team hypothesized that playing an adapted game could positively influence the quality of life for both patients and their surroundings.
Methodology
The project is conducted in three phases:
- Usability testing to adapt the graphics and rules of popular board games (Dobble and Timeline) for patients with Alzheimer’s-related disorders.
- A survey of professionals to assess the relevance of using adapted board games in their practice with seniors.
- A clinical study with patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease to evaluate the impact of the adapted board game on their daily lives.
Results
This research project suggests that board games are an enjoyable activity to share with family. They can be a valuable tool for promoting the quality of life among seniors. While they do not serve as a treatment for Alzheimer’s-related disorders, they offer cognitive and behavioral stimulation when played regularly and with the assistance of a caregiver.
These results led to the creation of Access+, a range of accessible and inclusive board games.