Cycling apparently boomed during last year’s lockdowns as frustrated families sought to make the most of their exercise window; and the quieter roads as commuting ground to a halt.
Another cycling revolution, meanwhile, is underway in care homes, as new tech enables residents to unleash their pedal power and experience the open road – albeit on a screen.
Motiview, designed by Norwegian firm Motitech, offers users the opportunity to cycle down the streets from their memories, revisit towns they once knew or explore destinations around the world via its video simulation system, all from the comfort of their own chair, using specially adapted exercise bikes
Patients can sit together for group sessions, helping increase their social interactions in a care home setting.
Motiview can be operated with both a user’s feet and hands and comes with specific playlists designed by music therapists.
The simulation is displayed on a TV, showing real world settings which moves as the user pedals.
Sunrise of Winchester care home is among those getting in the saddle. Louise Murkin, activities and volunteers co-ordinator at Sunrise, believes the introduction of Motiview has had a profound impact on its residents.
“I have to say, it’s pretty much transformed the exercise side of activities here,” she says. “I can see the changes in people daily.
“We’ve got around 20 residents who use Motiview daily, some who are well into their 90s and people with dementia too.
“From the physical side, we have seen that it’s strengthening their muscles and getting everything moving, which is aiding things like mobility and balance.
“It almost makes it easier for the carers to get on and help our residents out.
“For people with dementia it’s more about the stimulation that they’re getting and doing the exercise without knowing, so we know how much better they’re going to be for doing this movement.”
One of the biggest benefits of Motiview for dementia patients is that it allows them to explore familiar settings, be it their local town or a place they have taken a holiday too.
The software’s global setting allows users to visit a range of places across the world which can help stimulate their memory and allow them to reminisce.
Louise recalls the time a Sunrise resident with dementia was able to take the home’s staff on a tour of his home town.
“We had one resident called Brian who was in that really awful stage of dementia. As a former engineer he worked all around Winchester.
“We were lucky as Motitech made us a Winchester film and Brian would sit there for almost an hour just cycling away nice and steadily while watching it.
“He was like a tour guide as all of these memories came flooding back to him.
“Brian would have somebody sat with him and they are sharing stories, which probably would have been forgotten otherwise.”
Furthermore, Motiview can assist with faster rehabilitation, reduce the reliance on medication, increase appetite and improve sleep.
All of this comes from the fact the system is getting its users active, with a number of pieces of research now highlighting how important this is in old age.
One study from the University of Glasgow showed that cycling for just half an hour a day can not only prolong life, but can significantly reduce the risk of conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Stian Lavik, chief business officer at Motitech, says: “Increasingly, older people are becoming less active in their later years. Cycling is a perfect sport for older people, because it can be done indoors, and seated.”
“Those that are unstable on their feet can use modified bikes that allow them to use the machine from the comfort of their own chair, or wheelchair, while still getting the same physical workout and health benefits.
“Additionally, compared to activities like running or walking, cycling is a low-impact sport, meaning that those who choose to cycle are less likely to succumb to an injury.
“As we age, bone density decreases, so cycling is a safe way to boost bone density and build strength, without causing damage.
“These documented health benefits are in addition to an improved quality of life, boosted confidence, and improved mental wellbeing and social connectedness.”
The mental advantages Motiview enables are also encouraging care homes to adopt the technology.
With patients able to engage in group sessions, the interactive simulations are not only a talking point but they help to improve social interaction.
“For people with dementia the bike is helping them relieve stress,” Louise says. “They’re getting a lot of stimulation from the bikes and from the interaction with other people.
“That drives them to want to do it again and generally they do remember going on the bike, it’s quite familiar to them.”
To help its users get more involved and improve this interaction, Motictech launched the Road Worlds for Seniors competition in 2017.
This allowed older people and those with dementia to compete as a group in their care homes to see who can cycle the furthest, with over 4,000 participants in 2019. See more here.
