Development of a Recreation Program Using Game Based Learning to Enhance Cognitive Abilities in the Elderly
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Abstract
This research aims to study the current situation with respect to dementia in elderly people in Nakhon Nayok province and to develop a recreational program based on games to improve cognitive abilities in the elderly. Research also aims to evaluate the effectiveness of participation in this program in cognitive abilities. This study is classified as research and development. The sample group in Phase 1 consisted of 379 elderly individuals 60 years and older from Nakhon Nayok Province. In Phase 2, the sample consisted of 30 elderly people from Phra Achan Subdistrict, Nakhon Nayok Province, selected by a purposive sampling. Phase 3 involved 30 elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment from the Nong Saeng Subdistrict, Nakhon Nayok Province, also selected by purposive sampling. The research instruments included a game-based recreational program designed to improve cognitive abilities in the elderly, along with three assessment tools for evaluating outcomes within the program. The quality of these instruments was evaluated by seven experts. Data analysis was performed using the percentage, mean, standard deviation and dependent samples t-test. The research findings were as follows: 1) The current situation on dementia in elderly people in Nakhon Nayok Province showed that 37.73% had cognitive impairment; 2) The game-based recreational program to improve cognitive abilities in the elderly people consisted of 8 weekly sessions, each lasting 3 hours. Each session included various activities using recreational games aimed at improving different cognitive functions, along with three assessment tools; and 3) The experimental results showed that after participating in the program, the target group scored significantly higher on brain function tests and demonstrated better knowledge and understanding of dementia prevention compared to before the program, with statistically significant differences at the .05 level. Overall, participants expressed high satisfaction with the program (x̄ = 4.93, SD = 0.06).
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