Laluan Hikmah: Development and preliminary evaluation of an active reminiscence Snake-and-Ladder game among older adults

Abstract

Population ageing has increased the need for accessible community activities that support meaningful participation and social connection. Laluan Hikmah is a non-digital board game that adapts the familiar Snake-and-Ladder format by integrating reminiscence, guided reflection, music cues, light movement, strengths recognition, and peer interaction. This paper describes its development and preliminary implementation outcomes among 10 community-dwelling adults aged 60 years and above from an older adults’ club at Klinik Kesihatan Sungai Chua, Selangor, Malaysia. A single-group descriptive pre–post evaluation used three researcher-developed five-point items assessing immediate mood, social connectedness, and perceived sense of being valued. Mean ratings were higher after gameplay for mood (2.3 to 4.0), social connectedness (2.1 to 4.1), and perceived sense of being valued (2.4 to 4.2). Participants also provided informal feedback concerning memory recall, story sharing, peer engagement, and enjoyment. The findings represent preliminary developmental signals and do not establish effectiveness. User-informed refinement, validated measurement, and structured feasibility testing are required before broader implementation.