Video-game System for Improving the Balance of Ageing Adults with Intellectual Disability in Sheltered Workshop

Abstract

Objective: To explore the feasibility of using video game system for training to improve clinical measures of balance in ageing adults with mild to moderate intellectual disability (ID). Subjects and Methods: 16 adults diagnosed with mild to moderate ID, aged 40 or above and attending workshop were recruited to receive 21 sessions of 20 minutes video game training using HUR Balance Trainer BT4. Pre- and post-score of participants’ balance ability by Romberg test and limit of stability test were obtained. Wilcoxon’s test of SPSS was adopted to analyse the data of pre-and post-test to compare the differences. Results: Significant results were found in the pre-and post-data of “static balance score” and “leftward limit of stability”. Conclusion: The results revealed that video games could improve some aspects of the balance ability in ageing adults with mild to moderate ID. More in-depth research is needed.