ExerG: adapting an exergame training solution to the needs of older adults using focus group and expert interviews.
Nathalie Ringgenberg, Sarah Mildner, Marcia Hapig and 14 others
PMID 35974409WHAT IT FOUND
Older adults want exergames to feel safe and real.
They asked for harnesses, therapist presence, and tasks like shopping rather than fantasy worlds. Therapists worried that technical glitches or lack of home access would ruin motivation. These insights guide device design, not treatment outcomes.
Key findings
01Older adults prioritized safety through physical support and therapist presence, and preferred game tasks mimicking daily activities like shopping over abstract challenges.
02Health professionals identified usability barriers, noting that technical errors, difficult harness application, or lack of access after discharge could negatively impact adherence.
03Insurance experts stated that financial support or reimbursement would require clear evidence of additional benefit and functional improvement for patients.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Participants did not actually use the exergame device; they only watched a video and discussed a mock-up, so their reactions are based on imagination rather than experience. The sample was small and recruited from two specific rehabilitation centers in Switzerland and Austria, which may limit how well the findings apply to other settings. There was a gender imbalance, with nearly two-thirds of the older adults and insurance experts being male. The study did not test whether these design preferences actually lead to better health outcomes or reduced falls. Thematic analysis depends on researcher interpretation, and the primary coders were not experts in this specific qualitative method, though they were supervised.
Declared interests
The study was funded by public research bodies including the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, Innosuisse (Swiss Agency for the Promotion of Innovation), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and the Active and Assisted Living programme. The authors declared no competing interests.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this paper as evidence that exergames improve balance or reduce falls in older adults. This study only reports what users said they wanted in a hypothetical device design; no patients were treated or measured for clinical outcomes.