ADL Balance Games
ADL Balance Games engage patients in exercises to improve balance. They provide cognitive challenges (memory, visual discrimination, pattern recognition, etc.) and motivational enhancements (patients want to complete games properly) to make exercises more meaningful and engaging. Below are short descriptions and videos for our most popular games:
- Placing Games: Therapist sets up game by placing colored items (cones, rings, etc.) on flat surface (counter, table, etc.). Patient places colored items on matching platforms, e.g., all of the blue items on the blue platform, red items on red platform, green items on green platform, and yellow items on the yellow platform. Game ends when all items are correctly placed on platforms.
- Scrambler: Therapist sets up game by placing the colored items (cones and/or rings) on matching platforms, e.g., all of the blue items on the blue platform, red items on red platform, green items on green platform, etc. Patient scrambles the colored items by mixing and placing them on non-matching platforms, e.g., no two items match, nor do they match the color of the platform on which they are placed. For example on the yellow platform, there is one blue, green, and red cone and/or ring; but no yellow ones. Game ends when all non-matching items are correctly placed on non-matching platforms.
- Unscrambler: Therapist sets up game by placing non-matching colored cones and/or rings on the non-matching platforms (no two items match, nor do they match the color of the platform on which they are placed). Patient unscrambles the items by rearranging and placing them on their matching platforms, e.g., all of the blue items on the blue platform, red items on red platform, green items on green platform, etc. Game ends when all matching items are correctly placed on same-colored platforms.
- Match Maker: Therapist sets up game by placing cones, rings, and diagram to be “matched” on a flat surface (counter, table, etc.). Using a Match Maker diagram as a guide, the patient selects and places colored items on platforms. Game ends when all items are correctly placed on platforms, matching the diagram presented.
- Lineup: Therapist sets up game by placing cones and rings on matching platforms. Using Lineup diagram as a guide, the patient selects and places colored items on flat surface (black platform, counter, table, etc.) in the same order, or “lineup,” as shown on diagram. Game ends when all items are correctly placed on flat surface, matching the diagram presented.
- Simon: Patient touches the colored platform called out by the therapist: red, yellow, blue or green. The therapist adds a new color, building a progressively longer sequence of colors. The patient’s goal is to remember and repeat the color sequence by touching the platforms in the correct order. The therapist continues to add colors until the patient is unable to repeat the color chain in the correct order. Game ends when patient in unable to repeat the color sequence in the correct order.
- Cashier: Therapist sets up game by placing the colored rings on matching platforms. Explain the assigned values for the rings to patient : Red = 1₵, Yellow = 5₵, Blue = 10₵, Green = 25₵. The therapist picks an arbitrary value between 1₵ and 123₵ and instructs the patient to place the equivalent value in rings on the black shelf. For example, therapist picks 7₵ and patient sets 1 yellow & 2 red rings on black shelf. Repeat with different values until rings are depleted.