Patient Information: Female, Age 77

Diagnosis: Esophageal Cancer / Muscle Weakness

History: This woman was referred to a skilled nursing facility for rehabilitation services due to weakness and a decline in functional mobility after hospitalization due to esophageal cancer and feeding tube placement. Prior to her hospitalization she was living alone in a senior living apartment with an elevator and was independent for transfers and activities of daily living with her manual wheelchair due to prior bilateral below knee amputation.

Pre-Therapy Status:
• Transfers: Maximal (>75%) assistance.
• Dynamic Sitting Balance: Moderate (50%) assistance.
• Wheelchair Mobility: 15 feet with moderate (50%) assistance.

Therapy Information:
• Modality: OmniVR^® Virtual Reality Augmented Therapy System.
• Frequency: 4-5x per week.
• Protocol Specifics: OmniVR^® bingo, fox, puzzle, and object recognition activities to improve transfers, sitting balance and wheelchair mobility.
• Duration: Five weeks.
• Other Therapy Services Provided: Progressive resistance exercise, range of motion exercise, transfer training, bed mobility, and wheelchair mobility

Outcome:
• Transfers: Independent for bed to wheelchair with extra time; independent with sliding board wheelchair to car using a sliding board, requires extra time.
• Dynamic Sitting Balance: Independent.
• Wheelchair Mobility: 300 feet indoor and outdoor surfaces independently, and supervision for safety to ascend and descend ramps.

This woman is very pleased with her progress in therapy! She really enjoyed the OmniVR^® Bingo and Fox activities while working to improve her dynamic sitting balance and core strength. She has now returned to living independently in her apartment. Her therapist credits her fast progress in therapy to the OmniVR^® which increased her motivation, regularly evidenced by her comment, “I want to get more points!”