Award
NIH Reporter #5K01AG090761-02
Preserving Ability through Virtual Exercise (PAVE): An Intervention to Increase the Physical Activity of Hospitalized Older Adults
Recipient
University of Maryland Baltimore
Award Amount
$124,614.00
Ceiling
$124,614.00
Awarded
August 14, 2026
Identifier
5K01AG090761-02
The award funds a study to test a virtual reality exercise intervention to increase physical activity and maintain function in hospitalized older adults, aiming to prevent disability.
Description
This project aims to explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a virtual reality physical activity intervention called Preserving Ability through Virtual Exercise (PAVE) for hospitalized older adults. It is a quasi-experimental trial with 120 participants comparing an education control group to the PAVE intervention group. The intervention addresses barriers to physical activity by enhancing motivation through fun incentives and offering individualized exercises requiring minimal staff assistance. The study will demonstrate how virtual reality technology can be leveraged to maintain physical function in older adults, aligning with the National Institute on Aging's mission to develop interventions to prevent disability.