Proactive TV Gamification: Engaging Older Adults Socially

This study explores the capabilities of television as a tool to promote social relationships among older adults, considering that these relationships are vital for an active and healthy ageing process. Physical changes, encompassing sensory and locomotor decline, alongside cognitive deterioration, underscore the need for robust social networks to support older adults. Social relationships play a crucial role in determining the quality of life for older adults. Furthermore, television holds significance in the lives of older adults, serving as an information source and a catalyst for social interactions. Acknowledging the importance of leveraging television’s potential, the ProSeniorTV system was developed. This gamified proactive system, seamlessly integrated into television, informs older adults about local events through notifications on the TV-set display and encourages active participation in those events. Through mini-games and a player ranking, the system motivates engagement to support social connections among older adults. This article presents initial results from the ongoing field trial conducted in the homes of four individuals aged between 60 and 80, with an average age of 67.5 years, over one month. Participants were given daily notifications through their television displays, encouraging them to play the minigames and access four social events. The results demonstrate that the proposed system facilitates easy access to information about social events, motivating participation and raising awareness among older adults about the importance of maintaining social relationships and ensuring an active and healthy ageing process. Specifically, on average, participants accessed half of the suggested events, and all said they gained access to information about events through the ProSeniorTV system.