Virtual system reimages rehabilitation for Portage County seniors
For the City Times
PORTAGE COUNTY – Portage County Health Care Center in Stevens Point recently installed a “virtual” rehabilitation system for aging adults. Called the OmniVR, this technology is making the rehabilitation process more fun and exciting for residents.
The OmniVR is a virtual reality therapy system designed to capture resident movements and provide therapeutic biofeedback as they interact in a virtual, game-like world.
With the assistance and supervision of a therapist, residents participate in a variety of interactive exercises and activities selected for the individual’s specific condition or physical challenge. The programs focus on strength, balance, mobility, walking, endurance, and memory.
Virtual reality helps make therapy fun and engaging and motivates residents to participate more in therapy while improving their functional outcomes.
“All of our residents truly love the OmniVR,” said Marcia McDonald, facility administrator. “It gives them something fun and entertaining to do that achieves the same therapeutic goal…and with some people, inspires them to do things they might not ordinarily try.”
Though residents consider the system to be a fun challenge, center therapists report that residents using the OmniVR exercise harder and longer.
“After working with a resident on standing control and balance for some time, therapy was ready to say that they were at a plateau and that they didn’t need more therapy. However, once we got the OmniVR we were able to tap into the resident’s competitive side and have them compete against themselves-completing varying exercises to help them push beyond the plateau and increase gains to get back to prior level of care,” said Nic Riggs, rehab care director.