Nobody enjoys being tested for memory problems, a stressful process with questions that can seem irrelevant.
Dr. Frank Knoefel, a physician at the Bruyère Memory Clinic, knows about the stress. Besides, these tests are notoriously inaccurate as cognitive abilities decline. So, with help from partners ranging from universities to an Ottawa day program for adults, he tried using a computer game based on whack-a-mole.
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“There’s something about a competitive game. As we know, it can be addictive,” said Knoefel, a researcher interested in technologies that can help seniors be more independent.
The idea was to examine the cognitive abilities of people with moderate dementia without putting the person on the spot.
Instead of whacking toy moles with a mallet, like the arcade game, the subjects used a tablet and stylus. The game, designed at the University of Alberta especially for the project, also added a new element — bunnies. Players have to whack the moles, but refrain from whacking the bunnies.