JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative tool to improve daily functioning in older adults at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementias. We examined feasibility, safety and acceptability of a proposed VR intervention that aims to improve cognitive and behavioral skills in older adults, using a two-pronged approach.

Objective:

We examined feasibility, safety and acceptability of a proposed VR intervention that aims to improve cognitive and behavioral skills in older adults, using a two-pronged approach

Methods:

In a single session we piloted a virtual meal-preparing task to compare task performance, safety and acceptability between 8 older (M age 76.3, SD 7.9) and 8 young adults (M age 25, SD, 2.6) using two-sample t-tests. Simultaneously, we conducted a community engagement studio (CES) to obtain feedback on the proposed VR intervention from 16 Black and Hispanic older adults.

Results:

Older adults took a longer time than younger adults to complete the task (235 vs. 75 seconds; p<0.001) and made more errors (1.2 vs. 0.1; p=0.04). There were no adverse events (i.e., falls) or simulator sickness (i.e., dizziness, headache). All participants reported high self-efficacy in performing similar virtual tasks. In the CES, the stakeholders provided valuable insights to enhance recruitment (i.e., health fairs) and retention (i.e., free transportation) for the proposed intervention.

Conclusions:

Older adults required more instructions to effectively use VR technology, however, they were able to complete a simple virtual task within an average of <4 minutes. They reported high acceptability (i.e., self-efficacy, level of enjoyment) and a willingness to engage in future VR interventions. These preliminary data support the feasibility, safety and acceptability of a novel VR task, and provide feedback on the design of a future intervention. Clinical Trial: N/A