Preserving Ability Through Virtual Exercise (PAVE)

Older adults (≥60 years) experience multi-level barriers to physical activity when hospitalized. Patient level barriers to physical activity when hospitalized include tethers (e.g., foley catheters, intravenous infusions), symptoms of their acute illness (e.g., pain, fatigue), low self-efficacy to perform physical activity, and a perception that they should remain on bedrest when hospitalized. Interpersonal barriers to physical activity, highlighted during this post pandemic environment, include staffing shortages and increased patient acuity, which can force nurses to prioritize other critical tasks over the physical activity of their patients. Environmental barriers to physical activity include bed alarms and a hospital climate that is hyper focused on the incorrect assumption that physical activity increases fall risk among hospitalized older adults. This lack of physical activity in the hospital generates major personal and societal costs. Each day a patient spends in the hospital increases their risk of functional decline and loss of muscle mass, which older adults can find difficult or impossible to restore in the post-acute period. Hospital associated deconditioning increases the length of hospital stays, and increases the susceptibility of patients to delirium, falls, and re-admission. Such complications ultimately increase health care costs. Therefore, there is a significant unmet need to identify strategies to increase older patients' physical activity while minimizing staff burden. The overall objective of this proposed project is to explore the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a virtual reality physical activity intervention to engage older adults in physical activity and maintain physical function and mental health during their hospital stay. This quasi-experimental study has two aims. Primary) Aim 1: Using the NIH Behavior Change consortium guidelines, the Acceptability/Appropriateness of Intervention Measure, the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, and semi-structured individual interviews, determine the feasibility of a virtual reality intervention among hospitalized older adults. Aim 2: Test the preliminary efficacy of the PAVE intervention on 1) time spent in physical activity during the hospital stay, 2) maintenance of physical function, and 3) maintenance of mental health, compared to the education only control group. Hypothesis 2.1. Patients exposed to the PAVE intervention will demonstrate more time spent in physical activity (MotionWatch, Modified Physical Activity Vital Sign) during their hospital stay, when compared to those exposed to the education control, controlling for appropriate covariates. Hypothesis 2.2. Patients exposed to the PAVE intervention will better maintain their physical function throughout their hospital stay (Barthel Index, UMove), when compared to those exposed to the education control, controlling for appropriate covariates. Hypothesis 2.3. Patients exposed to the PAVE intervention will better maintain their mental health throughout their hospital stay (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Brief Reslience Scale), when compared to those exposed to the education control, controlling for appropriate covariates.