Authors (including presenting author) :
Chow TY (1), Wong MY (1), Leung KH (1), Kwok PH (1)
Affiliation :
(1) Occupational Therapy Department, Pok Oi Hospital
Keyword 1: :
Virtual Reality (VR)
Keyword 2: :
Geriatric Day Hospital (GDH)
Keyword 3: :
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Keyword 4: :
Older Adults
Keyword 5: :
Fall Prevention
Keyword 6: :
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Training
Introduction :
Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE) is an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) system enabling a realistic simulation of real-world scenarios. Previous research has demonstrated its potential benefits in rehabilitation. In a safe, controlled environment, daily living tasks can be trained repeatedly, minimizing safety issues and risks. This allows occupational therapists to integrate VR CAVE into Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) training for Geriatric Day Hospital (GDH) patients in Pok Oi Hospital.
Objectives :
To evaluate patient satisfaction with the integration of VR CAVE into IADL training for GDH patients.
Methodology :
From October to December 2025, GDH patients with a history of falls within the past year, Modified Barthel Index (MBI) scored above 80, and aiming for independent community reintegration were recruited. Participants completed a 15-minute VR CAVE-based IADL training session simulating road crossing and escalator use, as prescribed by an occupational therapist. A post-intervention patient satisfaction survey, accessible via Google Form, was administered as the outcome measure. Four key areas were evaluated: (1) Treatment Experiences, (2) Acceptability, (3) Treatment Effectiveness, (4) Overall Comments. A 5-point Likert scale and open-ended questions were used for gathering responses.
Result & Outcome :
21 participants (28.6% male; 71.4% female) with a mean age of 75.3 (± 6.99) completed the VR training and satisfaction survey. Diagnoses included stroke (14.3%), hip fracture (23.8%), fall (4.8%), deconditioning (28.6%), neurocognitive disorders (14.3%), and others (14.3%). Survey results were encouraging. All participants were highly satisfied with the VR training in all 4 aspects:
(1) Positive treatment experiences were illustrated; 94.7% of patients believed that VR experiences were realistic, interactive, and safe.
(2) A high acceptability was demonstrated; all patients agreed that the VR training was easy to understand, and no adverse effects (e.g., motion sickness) were reported throughout training.
(3) High treatment effectiveness was perceived; 94.7% of participants agreed that the VR experiences improved IADL skills and supported community reintegration, while 91.5% believed that it could reduce fall risks and enhance confidence for community living.
(4) Overall Comments: All patients agreed to recommend the VR training to other suitable patients. A female patient commented, “The VR training is specific to my needs, and boosts my confidence in returning home! ” VR CAVE-based IADL training demonstrated its potential as a safe and innovative tool to enhance IADL performance and community integration in GDH. Future quantitative studies could be done to explore its therapeutic benefits in fall prevention.
