SERIOUS GAMES TO STIMULATE COGNITIVE FUNCTION, INDUCE SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND MONITOR COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA

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Background: The use of Serious Games (SG) in the health domain is expanding. In the field of neuropsychiatric neurodegenerative disorders . SG are currently employed both to support and improve the assessment of different functional and cognitive abilities, and to provide alternative solutions for patients' stimulation, and rehabilitation. In 2014 we proposed some initial recommendations (Robert et al., 2014). This recommendation has been updated in 2017 (Manera & al). The objectives of this presentation are 1/ to present the recommendation as well as other recommendation to be developed specifically for the use of SG for patients with apathy during an expert meeting to be organized in during the 2018 European Psychiatric Association congress Methods: The 2 recommendation meetings follow the Delphi method. Experts are asked to answer questions in several rounds. After each round, a facilitator provides a summary of the experts' responses, and encourages the experts to analyze, comment and revise their earlier answers in light of the commentaries of other members of the panel. Results: The experts suggested that most of the SG are more effective when the patient is accompanied by a trained caregiver. Most of the SG are considered as useful to be delivered both at home and in clinical facilities. Clinical facilities have the advantage to allow a complete standardization of the training, and to provide a secure, controlled environment. Training frequencies between two and four times a week were rated as the most adapted . However a crucial aspect totake into account when designing training is the motivation aspect. In general, the longer and more intense the training, the better. However, 'forcing' employing the SG too often may result in lowered motivation. Ideally, the features of the training should be adapted in order to increase the patient's motivation to play, thus optimizing the training results. This motivation dimension will be developed during the second recommendation meeting organized on March 5 during the EPA congress Conclusions: SG are adapted to elderly people with MCI and dementia, and can be employed for several purposes, including assessment, stimulation, and improving wellbeing, with some differences depending on the population.

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