| Question 1: Have you noticed changes in your walking ability? |
Claims that he has better balance, that he steps with more assurance and walks more naturally. He knows that he can because he could do so in VR training in different situations. His brother-in-law, with whom he worked in his yard, found that he walked better on uneven ground and on slopes. He could rake and pick up leaves without problem and moved about his yard with more ease without his cane. He noted that he depends less on his cane when he walks outdoors. When he goes for walks, he varies his rhythm and can walk faster. He no longer fears walking on uneven surfaces or where there are stones. He proceeds without worrying like he used to; he has gained a lot of confidence. He is no longer afraid to walk on carpets and claims that he is more solid when walking on all kinds of surfaces. When he had to climb a flight of stairs without a handrail, he did not panic; he was confident and knew how to manage. He examined the situation as he had learned to do in VR training … to plan what he had to do. … He could find a strategy to climb the stairs without a problem. Same thing for crossing a street … he could choose a strategy, not panic and adapt accordingly. First, he told himself that he would follow the woman who was crossing the street beside him; when he saw that she walked faster than him, he did not panic, but continued, and when the light signal began to flash, he could walk faster and cross the street in time.
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| Question 2: What was the added value of the VR training? |
At night, he thought about what he had practised, what he was told, and how he would manage the next time he faced similar situations. “I review the situations and plan my strategies.” He reviewed his strategies and thought about how he could use them in his daily life.
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| Question 3: Could you have achieved the same results by practicing in real life? |
“No. VR training shows us that we can do things that are more difficult and that we fear without danger because we wear a harness; thus, we dare to do more because we know that it's not dangerous.” “When we manage to do more without failing and without problems, we develop self-confidence.” “Because of that, we dare to do more in real life, but, especially, we have learned to evaluate dangers and risks. We know what to pay attention to. It develops our capacity to make decisions.” “It helped me prepare for my driving exam.”
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