Poster Q4 - Exploring Virtual Reality Training for Elderly Individuals

Introduction: Due to rapid increases in the aging population, imbalance leading to falls in aging individuals is a pressing concern within the United States but worldwide as well. Within the United States, nearly 1/4 of adults over 65 years old have suffered a fall. Aside from more traditional balance training for older adults, newer types of training, such as those tied to virtual reality (VR), are being explored as a means to provide a dynamic and engaging environment for balance exercises. Its ability to simulate real-life scenarios allows older adults to practice balance techniques and to gain balance confidence in varied and challenging settings while in their homes.

Materials and

Methods: This study was conducted at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC), within the Center for Biomechanical & Rehabilitation Engineering (CBRE). The project protocol was Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved (2073871-01). An overview of the study is shown in Figure 1. There were 21 participants in total that volunteered for this study, however, 4 withdrew because of work, travel and other engagements, leaving 9 participants in the VR group (75.9 +/- 3.7 years old) and 8 participants in the control group (75.1 +/- 6.7 years old). During our training program (two, 30’ sessions per week for six weeks or 12 training sessions), exercises targeted specific aspects of balance, such as static and dynamic balance, sensory integration, and motor coordination (summarized in Fig. 1, middle) for both the control and VR group. The Oculus VR headset was used during our training of the older participants within the VR group while the control group took part in the balance training without the headset. Assessments were conducted pre-training (or at 0 weeks) and post-training after completing 12 sessions (or at 6 weeks). Assessments conducted were the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, Tinetti Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). We also acquired force plate measures though not discussed here.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: The results of our study demonstrated that the VR training had an impact on balance performance in older adults, in particular the BESS errors decreased for both groups post-training indicating an improvement in balance (Figure 2). However, balance confidence and falls efficacy, as well as geriatric depression, did not change significantly in either group. Cognitive ability was affected significantly in the control group in that it improved after training. The control group also showed improvements in balance performance and cognitive ability, but not in balance confidence. In the VR group, there was a change (i.e., increase in negative correlation between BESS errors (balance ability) and ABC score (balance confidence)) post training which was a positive finding. However, there was no correlation between balance ability and balance confidence in the control group.
Our study highlights new knowledge on the effects of VR training on aging balance ability and balance confidence. These findings have significant implications for the development of targeted interventions aimed at promoting healthy aging and reducing the risk of falls among older adults.

Acknowledgements (Optional): This research was sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant (1R25AG067896) and National Science Foundation (NSF) Award Abstract # 2229575. The UDC Center for Advancement of Learning (CAL) for contributing the VR headsets