Co-design and Pilot Study in VR-based Physical Activity and Cognitive Training

Overview

Physical activity and reminiscence therapy alone have been studied with no clear effectiveness in Alzheimer's disease, but their combined intervention remains unknown. The health sector is now advocating the use of multiple interventions in dementia care. Here, we aim to develop a physical activity and reminiscence therapy device and investigate its effectiveness in older adults with dementia. As there is no existing device for the oldest old, who typically have frailty and comorbidities, we need to first design and co-design a novel device and conduct pilot studies for its feasibility, perception, sustained adoption (adherence) and then preliminary efficacy (usually pilot or phase I, and often single arm).

To slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we need essentially design and co-design the interventional device to be effective for intervention. And since the oldest group is at high risk of dementia and AD, we wanted to address the needs of this forgotten group. there is no existing device or equipment designed for their intervention. In addition, their ability to sustain physical activity is relatively short, around 5-10 minutes, far less than the duration of normal physical activity. Hence, we need to ensure that the device is well accepted and likely to be used by the target group. Then we need to test its effectiveness.

Conditions