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What is cognitive stimulation?

Cognitive stimulation is a therapy aimed at maintaining and/or improving the cognitive functions of users at risk of cognitive impairment. A series of mental activities are used to exercise different cognitive functions, such as memory, orientation, language, executive functions or the basic skills of our daily life.

We take into account that neurological disorders such as dementia or mild cognitive impairment are among the most common geriatric syndromes in our society. In addition, they have a major impact on the quality of life of those who suffer from them, and on social and health systems around the world.

Both dementia and mild or moderate cognitive impairment are major causes of disability and loss of independence among older adults.

Rehabilitation or maintenance?

Cognitive practice is especially directed towards two distinct areas of action:

• Rehabilitación: los ejercicios cognitivos ayudan a pacientes que han sufrido, o están en riesgo de sufrir deterioro cognitivo leve, a reactivar y optimizar sus funciones cognitivas. Personas con Alzheimer incipiente, que han sufrido algún tipo de trastorno mental, o con problemas de cognición derivados de la edad.   

• Rehabilitation: cognitive exercises help patients who have suffered, or are at risk of suffering, mild cognitive impairment to reactivate and optimize their cognitive functions. People with incipient Alzheimer’s, who have suffered some kind of mental disorder, or with age-related cognitive problems.

• Maintenance: based on prevention and maximization of performance in all those areas that have not yet been affected. It is a way to promote active aging within a healthy lifestyle. In addition, cognitive practice in healthy patients helps to detect the first signs of possible cognitive impairment.

Why is it interesting to do online cognitive stimulation exercises in residences and day centres?

Time and cost savings + increased motivation

Cognitive practice in senior centers -carried out according to an accessible and scheduled program- serves to improve the quality of life of the users. It is an activity that serves professionals and therapists to promote active aging among patients.

In this way, it contributes not only to improve the physical and mental capacities of the day to day, but also to promote an atmosphere of motivation and increase of the self-esteem.

In recent years, the use of online cognitive stimulation platforms has become widespread in residences and specialized centers. Thanks to them, work processes have been simplified and the time invested in preparing for therapy has been reduced by up to 40%.

The benefits of performing the exercises on digital platforms have also been for the patients themselves.

With the democratization of affordable and accessible digital media such as the tablet, older users can make use of the Internet and technology autonomously. A phenomenon that is rapidly moving into the therapeutic arena, with many motivating new options replacing traditional therapy with tokens, pencil and paper.

Advantages for professionals and therapists:

• Autonomy: only WIFI and a tablet are needed.
• Less effort: less time invested in planning the training.
• Freedom: possibility to personalize the exercises.
• Analysis: reports of results.

Advantages for patients:

• Accessibility: easy learning.
• Learning: promoting the use of new technologies
• Independence: possibility to exercise without constant supervision.
• Motivation: enjoyable therapy that helps to increase self-esteem

Kwido Mementia exercises: accessible and entertaining

The exercises of the Kwido Mementia platform have been devised by professionals in neurorehabilitation, and developed by experts in accessible user design.

The platform offers professionals who use it a multitude of customization and analysis options. Data is collected such as the patient’s connection history, time spent in training, the report of the emotional state of patients and graphs showing the evolution of the General Cognitive Index (GCI)

The training plans are fully customizable by the professionals in charge of the therapy, although the automatic trainings can also be followed. In the latter, the aim is to work on all the cognitive functions:

• Language
• Memory
• Executive functions
• Orientation
• Attention
• Calculation
• Gnosias
• Praxia
• Reasoning

New. Cognitive stimulation exercises in Virtual Reality

One of the latest developments we have developed at Kwido are cognitive stimulation exercises with virtual reality glasses.

The aim of these immersive games is to recreate scenarios and tasks of everyday life of older patients, in a pleasant and simple way.

For example: we immerse them in a kitchen with all the necessary elements to fry an egg. Another example: we transport them to a bank office to practice withdrawing cash with a credit card.

We want to make cognitive practice almost a game, and get your users involved with a high degree of motivation. Moreover, thanks to the minimal learning curve of the therapy, users and therapists get a greater autonomy.

Can I see Kwido scenarios in virtual reality?

If you want to know more about the possibilities that Kwido offers to perform cognitive stimulation in virtual reality, write to us, and we will arrange an appointment for you to see a demonstration in our offices.