NIH Reporter #5K01AG090761-02

Preserving Ability through Virtual Exercise (PAVE): An Intervention to Increase the Physical Activity of Hospitalized Older Adults

This award funds a study to test a virtual reality intervention aimed at increasing physical activity and maintaining physical function in hospitalized older adults, using a quasi-experimental trial to assess feasibility and efficacy.

Description

Each day in the hospital leads to functional decline and loss of muscle mass, which older adults can find difficult or impossible to restore in the post-acute period. To increase older patients’ physical activity while minimizing hospital staff time investment, the use of virtual reality is proposed. This study builds upon pilot studies demonstrating feasibility of virtual reality physical activity and pain control among older adults. The study aims to determine the feasibility of a virtual reality intervention among hospitalized older adults and to test whether it increases physical activity and maintains physical function compared to an education control group. The intervention, Preserving Ability through Virtual Exercise (PAVE), will be a quasi-experimental trial with 120 participants divided into control and intervention groups. The project addresses barriers to physical activity in hospitalized older adults by enhancing motivation through fun incentives and providing individualized exercises requiring minimal staff assistance. This research will demonstrate how virtual reality technology can be leveraged to maintain older adults’ physical function, aligning with the NIA’s mission to develop interventions to prevent disability.

View original record