Needs Assessment and Literature Review
Prior to the start of my doctoral capstone I conducted a Needs Assessment and Literature Review
It is important to implement preventative strategies within the aging population concerning functional mobility rather than reactive strategies (Corregidor-Sanches et al., 2020)
It is common for an older adult to experience comorbid conditions which can lead to limitations in functional mobility, reduced freedom, limited independence, restrictions in their daily lives, and social isolation (Appel et al., 2020)
VR is a valuable approach in rehabilitation for the following reasons: (1) the use of repetitive task- specific training is a practical approach in neurological rehabilitation; (2) cognitive and motor activities can be performed at the same time in a VR environment; (3) simulation of real-world activities enhance ecological validity when compared to conventional therapy; (4) VR provides a safe environment to practice activities that may be dangerous in real life (i.e., driving); and (5) patients often can practice activities for extended periods because VR is more engaging and exciting than conventional therapy programs (Pazzaglia et al., 2020).
Each year more than one out of four older adults experience a fall. Falling once doubles an individual’s chance of falling again and the total cost for falls is more than 50 billion dollars each year. Aside from cost, consequences of a fall include injury such as broken bones or head injury (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2017).
Project Description
Description: Through program enhancement and research this project aims to address the many conditions seen within the aging population that can lead to an increased risk of falling. Through program enhancement, occupation- based fall prevention strategies will be identified and implemented for the residents of Glencroft Center for Modern Aging. Through research, fear of falling within the older adult population will be assessed to analyze how virtual reality (VR) technology can affect perceived fear of falling.
Site: Glencroft Center for Modern Aging located in Glendale, Arizona
Areas of Study: (1) Research (2) Program Enhancement
Population: Older Adults
Area of Study: Productive Aging
Project Mission and Vision
Mission Statement: To increase physical, cognitive, and emotional quality of life in the older adult population using technology and occupation-based activities.
Vision Statement: To treat the older adult population holistically by allowing them to safely participate in desired meaningful activities while simultaneously improving physical and cognitive functioning.
Mentors
Outcomes and Accomplishments
Outcome Measure #1
Through program and policy development/enhancement in a long-term care facility the student will aim to enhance occupation-based strategies for improving I/ADL engagement amongst the target populations as measured through survey and quality of life indicators.
I was able to accomplish this through creating a handbook of how to use the VR system as well as completing continuing education courses to build my knowledge of common conditions seen within my target population. I also presented to the residents at my site about the implications of VR technology on aging.
Summary of Research
Assessed fear of falling before and after 4 weeks of intervention to see if VR is an effective intervention to address if VR technology is a useful approach in reducing fear of falling within the aging population
- A total of 20 residents completed the 4 weeks of intervention
- Participants completed a pre-survey before intervention and a post-survey at the end of the 4-weeks
- Survey had 7 likert scale questions that asked participants to rate their confidence in completing specific daily activities
Two-sample t-test for means yielded a p-value of 0.00067 indicating significant results
The significant p-value suggests that VR technology can be a useful intervention approach to use with the aging population to reduce fear of falling.
Other Accomplishments
Filmed video for my capstone site to use on their social media platforms that explained what VR is and how it can be used in this population
Guest on ZoeTV: Campus wide show that broadcasts to the residents on channel 4
Future Implications
Impact on OT: Research showed reduced fear of falling after VR intervention, recorded presentation on the implications of VR technology on aging, research manuscript outlining the results of my manuscript
Impact on my career: I was able to further develop my knowledge on age related impairments and how virtual reality technology can be utilized within the age-related population. My doctoral capstone challenged me to think outside of the box to help the populations I serve which I plan to continue to do throughout my career.
Sustainability: I was able to train a resident and performance center staff on how to use VR. I also created a VR manuscript that listed out how to play each game and the implications they have on occupational performance.
email: menonmalia@outlook.com
References
Appel, L., Appel, E., Bogler, O., Wiseman, M., Cohen, L., Ein, N., Abrams, H. B., & Campos, J. L. (2020). Older adults with cognitive and physical impairments can benefit from immersive virtual reality experiences: A feasibility study. Frontiers in Medicine, 6, 329. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2019.00329
Center for Disease Control. (2021). Facts about falls. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
Corregidor-Sánchez, A. I., Segura-Fragoso, A., Rodríguez-Hernández, M., Jiménez-Rojas, C., Polonio-López, B., & Criado-Álvarez, J. J. (2021). Effectiveness of virtual reality technology on functional mobility of older adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Age & Ageing, 50(2), 370–379. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afaa197
Pazzagli, C., Imbimbo, I., Tranchita, E., Minganti, C., Ricciardi, D., Lo Monaco, R., Parisi, A., & Padua, L. (2020). Comparison of virtual reality rehabilitation and conventional rehabilitation in parkinson's disease: a randomised controlled trial. Physiotherapy, 106(1), 36–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physio.2019.12.007