Does anyone still manage to operate games controllers?
My partner and I were never big gamers, but we did enjoy things like brain-training on the Wii and general knowledge quizzes on a very old PlayStation.
We were thinking that this could perhaps still be something that we could enjoy together, but it’s really difficult to predict what hand-held controls I can reliably operate. (I have MSA, a Parkinsons+ condition). What I can do often seems random eg I am quite good on a keyboard and can manage an iPhone, but I have begun to struggle with the TV remote!
Does anyone know of any consoles that would be easy to operate (basic is fine as long as there’s a range of games) or makers that offer adaptations?
Hi @GillC, thanks for your thoughtful question. It’s really good that you’re looking at fun ways to stay engaged together.
It’s true that traditional controllers with buttons may become hard to use as movement symptoms change, but there are options and adaptations that can still make gaming enjoyable.
A few thoughts of what may be possible:
Games that are voice-based
Any games that don’t rely on small remotes/joysticks
Touch-screen gaming on tablets or phones, since your note says you can handle an iPhone
It might help to think about games where you don’t have to worry about speed or precision, such as quizzes or puzzles.
It’s also worth remembering that nowadays some libraries may loan out games, so you can check if your closest library does that.
This isn’t the first time people have mentioned gaming on this forum. Have a look at this thread, that even if from several years ago, can still be insightful: https://forum.parkinsons.org.uk/t/playing-games/7067
Thank you for asking this Gill! We hope others here will share what’s worked for them.
