SeniorPlay: Interactive games for active aging and more zest for life

Games, exercise, and mental stimulation are not a question of age. A company from the Remstal region is consistently applying this idea to senior care. Interactive gaming systems are designed to bring joy, participation, and low-threshold access to digitalization in care facilities.

From children's games to senior citizen activation

Items is based in Kernen in the Remstal valley and can look back on more than three decades of company history. The company originally started out supplying equipment for children's play areas and recreation rooms. It is precisely this experience that now forms the basis for a new field of application: interactive play and activity systems for seniors. The aim remains the same. Joy, ease, and intuitive use are the focus—regardless of age. What is a matter of course for children should also remain possible in old age: playful activity, curiosity, and the experience of moments of success.

Interactive systems for everyday care

The Seniorplay systems developed are specially designed for use in nursing and retirement homes. They are vandal-proof, robustly built, and designed for long-term operation. This makes them suitable for both communal areas and for use in individual rooms or care areas. A key objective is to offer low-threshold entertainment. The systems work without complex menus or technical hurdles. Residents can play independently or together with others, and care staff can also be easily integrated.

Two game worlds with different focuses

The range of games is divided into two central areas. The first area is based on classic games and fun formats familiar from children's activities. These include simple creative applications such as finger painting, which work across generations and require no prior experience. The second area is called “brain teasers” and is specifically aimed at seniors. The focus here is on games that promote cognitive skills and hand-eye coordination. Well-known game principles such as error detection, finding pairs, or simple matching games ensure quick success and at the same time promote concentration and perception.

Movement, perception, and visible reaction

An essential feature of the games is direct visual feedback. Movements on the touchscreen trigger visible effects—such as a butterfly that moves or an object that reacts. This immediate feedback is particularly important for people with limited cognitive abilities. Even simple movements can be experienced in a meaningful way again. Users see that their actions have an effect. This boosts motivation and self-confidence, even when fine motor skills are already limited.

Flexible use – alone or together

The games can be used flexibly. They can be played alone, in pairs, or in small groups. They can also be used together with caregivers. Portable systems allow the games to be used in different locations – in the lounge, in the care area, or directly in the room. It is this flexibility that makes the system suitable for everyday use. It adapts to the conditions of the facility and not the other way around. This makes it easy to integrate even short activation phases into the daily routine.

Fear-free access to digitalization

Many older people have had little contact with digital media in the course of their lives. As a result, they are often very reluctant to use touchscreens or electronic devices. Items addresses this issue with a deliberately closed system. The user interface is clearly structured, with no open menus or hidden functions. Mistakes are virtually impossible. The touchscreen itself is durable and suitable for inexperienced hands. This allows seniors to try, discover, and learn without fear—at their own pace.

Playing as part of quality of life

A central guiding principle of the company is the belief that playing is not a privilege of childhood. Joy, fun, and playful activity contribute to quality of life at any age. These moments are often missing from everyday life, especially in care facilities. Items wants to address this issue with its interactive gaming systems. Whether it's playing hockey together, brain teasers for two, or creative design, the applications are designed to promote movement, interaction, and positive emotions. Not as a compulsory program, but as an invitation to bring more lightheartedness into everyday life. The result is an approach that combines entertainment, activation, and digital participation – and shows that playful joy has its place even in old age.