Using VR to Keep Senior Patients Moving Through Rehab Therapy

ElderONE – an innovative alternative to long-term nursing home placement – is introducing a new interactive virtual reality therapy system at three sites across Monroe County as a way to keep seniors active and engaged in wellness.

The Jintronix system serves as a platform for rehab and wellness, giving ElderONE participants the opportunity to engage in fun forms of exercise that build strength, balance and coordination in individual and group settings.

As a Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE), ElderONE offers the entire continuum of medical care and support services to seniors with chronic care needs, including medical and personal care, transportation, physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation services, and more – all with the goal of keeping seniors living safely at home.

How therapists are using virtual reality as therapy

At each of the three ElderONE sites, the Jintronix system is set up in a rehabilitation space using a large monitor that is connected to the virtual reality platform.

Physical therapists and occupational therapists work with each patient according to their individual needs, incorporating strength training, balance, coordination, and cognitive challenges.

Patients can engage in virtual reality games and exercises designed to support skills used in everyday activities, including:

• Transfers
• Stair climbing
• Walking longer distances
• Reacting to changes in the environment
• Seated hygiene tasks
• Lower body dressing and bathing
• Housekeeping activities
• Grocery shopping

The platform also offers a group exercise option so several participants can take part in an activity at the same time. This includes games such as soccer, skiing, mountain climbing, motorcycle riding, and more.

Jintronix offers objective outcome measures for each patient’s rehab session such range of motion, weight-bearing status, and squat depth – allowing their care team to translate each activity into measurable outcomes. Sharing this information with the participant(s) helps to keep them engaged in their recovery.

“I love that we can use interactive technology to challenge our participants, show the progress they are making, and celebrate their successes together,” said Tracy Ford, PT, manager of Rehab Services with ElderONE.

Innovative technology that makes a difference in healthcare

Using the Jintronix system, rehab clinicians are able to challenge a patient’s strength, balance, endurance, and range of motion in a fun and meaningful way.

The virtual reality therapy system is another important resource that helps ElderONE achieve its goal of keeping participants strong and living independently in their communities.

“If we can continue to embrace tomorrow today using technology where people are able to experience what everyone else is experiencing in the community, it will create a fun environment that they want to be in,” said Heidi Goldwasser, an occupational therapist with ElderONE.

Senior Care, Reimagined

As the only program of its kind in the region, ElderONE provides all the medical, emotional, and social support seniors need, while still allowing them to live at home. We bring together scheduling, transportation, and all-inclusive care so seniors and their loved ones can enjoy peace of mind.

Enroll Now