Virtual Reality Training Intervention on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life

Effects of Incorporating Virtual Reality Training Intervention Into Health Care on Cognitive Function and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a Virtual Reality cognitive training intervention (VRCTI) on cognitive function changes measured with a cognitive test battery and improvement of quality of life in older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care facilities. Weekly 1-hour sessions were implemented over 8 weeks targeting sustained and selective attention, memory, cognitive functions, and rule deduction. The passive control group received usual care.

Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of a Virtual Reality cognitive training intervention (VRCTI) on cognitive function changes measured with a cognitive test battery and improvement of quality of life in older adults with cognitive impairment in long-term care facilities.

Method: Weekly 1-hour sessions were implemented over 8 weeks targeting sustained and selective attention, memory, cognitive functions, and rule deduction. The VRCTI comprised 12 different tasks distributed in 8 sessions with different difficulty levels. The passive control group received usual care. Older adults were randomly assigned to either VR or control groups. An experimental pre-post design was used. Accuracy, error, and repetition rates were measured throughout each session. Intervention effects were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation model.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Aged ≥ 65 years
• Admitted as residents at the study-site institutions (long-term care facilities)
• Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) ≥ 13
• Able to communicate sufficiently

Exclusion Criteria:

• Open facial wounds
• Problems with a finger, hand, or wrist and/or major visual or auditory impairment, making it difficult to deliver training scheme
• Major neurological or psychiatric conditions that may affect cognition (e.g., stroke, dizziness, schizophrenia)
• Unstable medical conditions
• Were unable to comply with the intervention