Solitaire Fitness: Design of an asynchronous exergame for the elderly to enhance cognitive and physical ability

The use of exergames has shown positive results in encouraging the elderly to increase their motivation towards physical activity and rehabilitation. These games usually offer playful routines that require players to perform full body movements in order to interact with the game. While this is often well-received by elderly users, this approach has some limitations that can lead to negative effects in the aged cohort. The main one being, that gameplay and exercise must happen concurrently. This, unfortunately, places limitations on the elderly users and limits the range of exercises that can be delivered. Also, prior studies have revealed that while the aged cohort often finds this approach enjoyable, they are more inclined to exercise in more traditional ways. This paper describes the design and development of an asynchronous game, called Solitaire Fitness, where physical exercise and cognitive gameplay do not occur at the same time. The game is designed to enhance both cognitive and physical abilities. It seamlessly links a well-established card game, solitaire, and let the elderly chose the form of exercise they are familiar with and let them exercise at their own pace, allow them to fully immerse in gameplay, and ultimately increase their motivation towards an healthy active lifestyle.