Currently submitted to: JMIR Serious Games
Date Submitted: Dec 7, 2025
Open Peer Review Period: Jan 3, 2026 - Feb 28, 2026
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A User-Experience Driven Design of Modular Card Games for Dementia Care: Integrating Cultural Cues and Neural Adaptability Adaptability
ABSTRACT
Background:
The global increase in the older adult population has led to a rising prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia. Non-pharmacological interventions, particularly engaging activities like tabletop games, are crucial for cognitive maintenance and well-being. However, existing commercial cognitive assistive tools often fail due to two main issues: a disconnect from the cultural and life experiences of the users, and an overly high cognitive load that hinders engagement and efficacy in clinical settings. There is an urgent need for an intervention tool designed specifically for this population, integrating principles of cultural relevance and neural adaptability to maximize therapeutic outcomes.
Objective:
This study aimed to develop a user experience-oriented, modular card-based assistive tool as an effective non-pharmacological intervention for older adults with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The primary goal was to construct a robust cognitive intervention framework that enhances user motivation and improves neural feedback efficiency by integrating both cultural adaptability and neuroplasticity principles.
Methods:
The research utilized a multi-stage mixed-methods approach, grounded in User Experience Innovation Design methodology. The study combined literature analysis, structured expert interviews, ethnographic participatory observation, and preliminary prototype testing. The work was conducted across long-term care centers, dementia care centers, and day care centers in a county in southern Taiwan. Seventeen participants, including healthcare professionals, caregivers, administrative staff, and healthy older adults, were involved in the data collection and co-creation process to ensure the practical and cultural relevance of the design.
Results:
Results:
The findings confirmed that cultural symbol misalignment and excessive cognitive demand were the main barriers to using current assistive tools, accounting for approximately 73% of reported usage difficulties. The newly developed tool, through the embedding of localized cultural contexts and a dynamic staged design, significantly enhanced participant motivation. Crucially, preliminary testing indicated effective enhancement of neural feedback efficiency.
Conclusions:
The study successfully designed and validated a modular cognitive assistive tool that overcomes common barriers by prioritizing cultural embedding and dynamic cognitive pacing. We propose a "Cultural-Cognitive Embedding Model" as a guiding framework, emphasizing that assistive tool design must integrate local life history and dynamically adjust cognitive difficulty to effectively promote neuroplasticity and sustained engagement in dementia care.
Citation
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