Nostalgia-Driven Gamification as a Digital Media Strategy for Enhancing Exercise Engagement among Older Adults in an Aging Society

Abstract

This study explores nostalgia-inspired gamification as a digital media strategy to promote exercise adherence among older adults. By recasting physical activity as a culturally motivated mediated experience, the research introduces “Suk-Ram-Luek,” a motion-assisted exerciser integrating a motion capture system with vintage media content. The system utilizes an Intel RealSense D455 camera to provide real-time feedback across five exercise modules, employing 1960s Thai music and retro art to foster emotional engagement and repeated use. A mixed-method evaluation involving experts (n = 9) and elderly participants (n = 15) demonstrated "excellent" system usability (M = 4.72, SD = 0.29) and significant posture accuracy improvements, reaching an average of 86.67% (SD = 5.12) by the third session. Qualitative findings confirmed that nostalgia-based media successfully transformed medical regimens into enjoyable activities. This study validates nostalgia-based gamification as an effective digital media strategy for mediating elderly engagement and provides a framework for culturally-bound digital health experiences in aging societies.