Virtual Reality Training to Increase Rehabilitative Exercise in Seniors

Summary

Seniors are at risk for reduced independence and lowered quality of life after injury or illness. Gains in strength, stamina, balance, cardiovascular fitness and confidence resulting from regular exercise can help seniors to maintain (or improve) their functional ability, independence, and quality of life. However, seniors experience many barriers to exercise. The objective is to assess the use of virtual reality (VR) as a motivating way to encourage seniors to do regular rehabilitative exercise. Seniors who could benefit from rehabilitative exercise and who live in two situations, a) long-term care and b) independently in their homes, will be recruited. Participants will be randomized to usual activity (control) or usual activity plus VR exercise. Long-term care residents will do VR with the assistance of care staff or study partners under the direction of the research team. Independent-living participants will do VR in their homes with the supervision of study partners, under the direction of the research team. All participants will be asked to do VR 3-5 times a week for 8 weeks. Mobility (balance, gait, physical function), and health outcomes (falls, hospital admissions) will be assessed and compared over time.

Conditions

• Old Age; Debility
• Aging

Interventions

OTHER

Virtual Reality

Participants will be provided with a virtual reality training program, personalized with respect to their abilities, endurance, needs and treatment goals. They will be trained to use the program and it will be installed in their home or provided at their long-term care facility. Participants will be suggested to perform VR 3-5 times a week for 8 weeks. Sessions will be 20-30 minutes long, depending on tolerance.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• York Care Centre

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Carleton Manor Nursing Home

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging, Canada

  collaborator OTHER

• Nashwaak Villa

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Brunswick Hall

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Loch Lomond Villa

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Windsor Court Retirement Residence

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Orchard View Long Term Care Home

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Bruyère Health Research Institute.

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Lisa Sheehy, PhD · Bruyère Health Research Institute.

• Justine Henry, MSc · Centre for Innovation and Research in Aging, Canada

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-12-02

Primary Completion

2022-12-08

Completion

2023-01-04

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations