Attention and performance during a virtual street crossing task in the elderly following orthopedic surgery due to falling.

Study objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe the use of a virtual street crossing environment among the elderly after an orthopedic operation of the lower extremity due to falling, as compared to a healthy population. Also examined were the relationships between the participants' visual-spatial attention ability and their performance in a virtual street crossing environment, and between their performance in the virtual street crossing environment and during actual street crossing as reported by the participant. Population: Fifteen healthy elderly adults (mean age = 75.5, SD = 5.4 years) and 15 elderly adults (mean age = 76.1, SD = 4.9 years) who had lower limb orthopedic surgery following a fall were tested. Instruments: The desktop street-crossing virtual environment (VE) presented a commercial street. Standardized paper and pencil visual-spatial attention assessments were administered. Questionnaires querying participants regarding their perceptions of the VE and their walking and street crossing habits were also administered. Measurements of attention and performance in the VE were gathered at two points in time within a 10-day period. Results: Significant differences were found between the groups in measures of attention and in performance in the street crossing VE. More than 70% of the patient participants felt that the program helped them to improve their performance during actual street crossing. Conclusions and treatment implications: A simple desktop VE of street crossing was suitable for use by individuals who are elderly including those who had lower limb orthopedic operation after falling.