Implementing socratic questioning techniques and the PIRLS framework in a gamified learning activity to enhance cognitive functioning and psychological well-being in older adults

The population of older adults is expected to double by 2050, with the elderly projected to make up more than a third of Hong Kong's total population by 2046. Cognitive decline and loneliness are on the rise among older adults, which can have a negative impact on their health. According to Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong, 44% of 1,080 suicides involved people aged 60 or older. This may be due to feelings of loneliness exacerbated by the recent wave of emigration leaving older family members behind. Added to this are the increasing mental health issues in young people and the older generation in Hong Kong. In light of these problems, we have developed an intergenerational reading program with generative AI to reconnect older adults and young people, aiming to strengthen bonding and understanding between the two generations. Based on this idea, we have created an intergenerational reading program involving older adults to participate in children book questions creation project using Socratic questioning. This is an active learning pedagogy that allows the learner to develop higher order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation (Gouges, 2012).