Tag: OmniTour

Reducing Dementia Risk Through Adaptive Cognitive Speed Training

Reducing Dementia Risk Through Adaptive Cognitive Speed Training

A twenty-year randomized controlled trial just produced the strongest evidence to date that cognitive training can reduce dementia risk, and what makes it work has direct implications for how assisted and independent living communities design resident programming.

The study1 is a follow-up analysis of the NIH-funded ACTIVE trial2, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions and highlighted by Johns Hopkins Medicine. It found that a specific type of computer-based cognitive speed training was linked to a 25% reduction in dementia risk over a 20-year follow-up period.

What the ACTIVE Study Found

The ACTIVE (Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly) trial enrolled nearly 3,000 adults age 65 with no significant prior cognitive impairment. Participants were assigned to one of three cognitive training programs — speed, memory, or reasoning — or to a control group.

Of the three interventions, only speed training demonstrated a protective effect against dementia. Participants who completed up to 23 hours of speed training over three years, including booster sessions, had a 25% lower risk of a dementia diagnosis than the control group. Those who completed training without booster sessions did not see the same benefit.

Speed training was designed to teach the brain to process visual information more quickly and accurately. Participants were asked to identify objects on a screen rapidly and make decisions about them. Researchers believe this type of training engages broader neuronal networks and builds cognitive reserve — the brain’s accumulated resilience against the effects of dementia. Memory training and reasoning training did not show a statistically significant protective effect.

Three Features That Drove Results

The ACTIVE findings point to specific structural qualities that made speed training effective, and they’re worth noting when designing engagement programming for residents:

  • Adaptability: The speed training program adjusted challenge level based on each participant’s performance. This individualized progression is what researchers flag as potentially central to its effectiveness.
  • Visual and perceptual engagement: The training focused on processing speed and visual decision-making. Dr. Sanjula Singh, a physician-scientist and neurology instructor at Harvard Medical School, noted that visual processing speed training may engage neuronal networks that build broader brain resilience — what she described to NBC News as “cognitive reserve.”
  • Sustained, consistent engagement: Participants who received booster sessions beyond initial training saw a 25% risk reduction. Duration and consistency were defining factors, not incidental ones.

What This Means for Your Community

For assisted and independent living communities, the priority is preserving cognitive health, not just responding to decline. The ACTIVE study reinforces that the structure of cognitive engagement matters. Activities that adapt to the individual, engage visual processing, and sustain participation over time produced measurable outcomes that other formats did not. That’s a meaningful benchmark when evaluating what belongs in your resident programming; not just what keeps residents busy, but what builds the kind of cognitive reserve the researchers identified as protective.

Bring VR Exercise to Your Residents this June

ACP’s OmniTour™ and OmniVR® were designed with these principles in mind. OmniTour immerses residents in virtual cycling experiences that drive movement, social connection, and daily engagement. OmniVR delivers interactive, game-like activities designed to support memory, balance, and cognitive function, with parameters adjustable to each resident’s individual needs.

Together, they give your team the foundation to build structured, adaptive programming that supports cognitive health over time.

Bundle & Save

In honor of Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, save 10% when you bundle OmniTour and OmniVR. This offer ends June 30, 2026.

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  1. Coe, N. B., Miller, K. E. M., Sun, C., Taggert, E., Gross, A. L., Jones, R. N., Felix, C., Albert, M. S., Rebok, G. W., Marsiske, M., Ball, K. K., & Willis, S. L. (2026). Impact of cognitive training on claims-based diagnosed dementia over 20 years: evidence from the ACTIVE study. Alzheimer’s & dementia (New York, N. Y.), 12(1), e70197. https://doi.org/10.1002/trc2.70197
  2. Tennstedt, S. L., & Unverzagt, F. W. (2013). The ACTIVE study: study overview and major findings. Journal of aging and health, 25(8 Suppl), 3S–20S. https://doi.org/10.1177/0898264313518133

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A landmark 20-year study just produced the strongest evidence yet that cognitive training can reduce dementia risk by 25%, and what drove those results has real implications for how your community designs resident programming.

How OmniTour™ Supports Stronger Clinical Outcomes in Rehabilitation

How OmniTour™ Supports Stronger Clinical Outcomes in Rehabilitation

Before investing in a new therapy tool, the question that matters most to facilities is simple: Does it actually work?

For rehab teams, “working” means more than patients enjoying a session. It means measurable progress; patients who train harder, recover faster, and achieve their functional goals.

To better understand the impact of the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience on facility outcomes, we asked clinicians to share their experience, and the results were promising.

What Clinicians Reported

In a December 2025 survey of 25 OmniTour users, 92% of clinicians rated OmniTour as extremely or very effective at impacting outcomes in their facilities. When asked to identify which OmniTour benefits were most responsible for those outcome improvements, clinicians pointed to two factors above all others: patients training with greater effort and patients training more often.

Training effort and frequency are foundational to recovery, and OmniTour meaningfully supports both.

Effort + Frequency = Better Patient Outcomes

In rehabilitation, outcomes are largely dose-dependent. We know that patients who participate more frequently and push themselves harder during therapy sessions make greater functional gains. The challenge has always been sustaining that level of participation over time, especially in longer-term or post-acute settings where motivation often wanes.

When therapy becomes something patients look forward to, rather than something they endure, it changes the game. Patients don’t just show up; they engage. Over time, that engagement compounds into better clinical results.

Moving Beyond the Numbers

The survey data is compelling, but the qualitative feedback we received from clinicians paints a vivid picture of sustained engagement:

My long-term patients love it. They have started coming to the gym more often. It’s very helpful for long-term programming.

Another clinician shared that OmniTour has made a “significant impact” on overall patient satisfaction, a factor closely tied to adherence and overall recovery success.

The OmniTour Advantage

OmniTour isn’t designed to replace skilled clinical intervention, but it does enhance it. By giving patients a reason to train harder and return more consistently, it amplifies the work therapists are already doing. For rehab teams looking to get more out of every session, that kind of amplification has real clinical and operational value.

Bring OmniTour to Your Facility

Discover how OmniTour can support your therapy programs and drive stronger patient outcomes.

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Before investing in a new therapy tool, the question that matters most to facilities is simple: Does it actually work? For rehab teams, “working” means more than patients enjoying a session. It means measurable progress; patients who train harder, recover faster, and achieve their functional goals. To better understand the impact of the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience on facility outcomes, we asked clinicians to share their experience, and the results were promising.

Closing the Wellness Gap in AL/IL Communities

Closing the Wellness Gap in AL/IL Communities

Assisted living (AL) and independent living (IL) communities have made meaningful investments in wellness programming over the years. From group fitness classes to on-site therapy services, many residents are well supported. And yet, a large resident population continues to fall through the cracks. These residents live in what we call the wellness gap.

The wellness gap includes residents who don’t meet the criteria for skilled therapy services but are vulnerable to decline. They may be unable to participate in more traditional fitness programs like Zumba, yet still need supportive movement to maintain strength, balance, cognition, and independence. This group is larger than many operators realize, and it represents one of the most important and addressable opportunities for senior living communities today.

Why the Wellness Gap Matters 

Residents in the wellness gap are often stable on paper, but they also aren’t building or maintaining the functional strength and mobility needed to age confidently in place. 

This leads to predictable outcomes: weakness, increased fall risk, social withdrawal, and eventual transitions to higher levels of care. This progression impacts not only resident well-being, but also length of stay, care costs, and the ability to deliver on a promised wellness experience. 

Where Traditional Wellness Programs Fall Short

Many wellness programs are unintentionally designed for residents who are already active, confident movers. Group classes like walking clubs or aerobics can feel intimidating, and limited staffing often makes it difficult to provide individualized support. As a result, residents in the wellness gap disengage—not because they don’t care about their health, but because the available programming doesn’t meet them where they are. To effectively support this population, communities need wellness solutions that are approachable, engaging, and adaptable across a wide range of abilities.

Closing the Gap with Technology 

This is where immersive wellness technology plays a critical role. ACP provides wellness solutions designed specifically for older adults that support gentle, approachable movement.

For residents in the wellness gap, tech-enabled experiences can be especially effective. Solutions like OmniVR® use game-inspired activities to support balance, coordination, strength, and cognitive engagement. With OmniTour™, routine cycling becomes an immersive journey that allows residents of all abilities to explore the world while exercising safely. Because these activities feel more like play than traditional exercise, residents who may otherwise opt out are far more likely to participate.

Drive Better Outcomes

By acting proactively, operators can intervene before decline sets in. When residents engage in regular, meaningful movement, communities can help: 

  • Reduce fall risk and prevent avoidable hospitalizations 
  • Support cognitive health and social connection 
  • Slow transitions to higher levels of care 
  • Demonstrate real wellness value to residents and families 

In a competitive market, these outcomes matter. Prospective residents and families want communities that offer more than amenities and take a proactive, inclusive approach to healthy aging. 

A More Inclusive Vision of Wellness

Wellness programs shouldn’t only serve the most active residents or those who qualify for therapy. The true measure of success is how well a community supports everyone. By investing in accessible, engaging wellness technologies, AL/IL communities can close the wellness gap, strengthen outcomes, and reinforce their commitment to helping residents thrive in place.

Wellness Solutions for Active Aging

Discover how ACP’s wellness technologies can support your community.

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Assisted living (AL) and independent living (IL) communities have made meaningful investments in wellness programming over the years. From group fitness classes to on-site therapy services, many residents are well supported. And yet, a large resident population continues to fall through the cracks. These residents live in what we call the wellness gap.

ACP Brings Innovative Wellness Solutions to Assisted and Independent Living

ACP Brings Innovative Wellness Solutions to Assisted and Independent Living 

ACP is expanding into the assisted living and independent living markets, bringing our evidence-based wellness technologies to new care environments where they can help residents stay active, engaged, and thriving.  

This expansion builds on more than 25 years of clinical experience supporting skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. By applying the same trusted technologies and therapeutic exercise principles to active aging populations, ACP is helping senior living communities strengthen their wellness offerings and stand out among the competition.

Enhancing Resident Wellness Through Engaging Technology 

Today’s older adults are living longer, more active lives, and they’re looking for environments that help them stay well—mentally and physically. Purposeful movement, social interaction, and a sense of autonomy are essential components of healthy aging. ACP’s suite of wellness technologies enables communities to deliver just that. 

Designed specifically for seniors, our wellness technologies support movement, connection, and independence to help residents age confidently in place. Safe, durable, and backed by exceptional support, our immersive tools help senior living communities enhance wellness experiences and strengthen well-being. 

OmniCycle® Connect Advanced Active-Assist Cycle 

The OmniCycle® Connect brings safe, supportive movement to your residents, no matter their ability level. With motor-assist technology and adjustable settings, this innovative cycle meets riders where they are, helping them stay active with minimal strain. Whether residents are working on maintaining mobility, improving circulation, or simply enjoying daily movement, the OmniCycle makes it easier to keep going.   

OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience 

The OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience brings the joy of outdoor cycling indoors with immersive virtual landscapes that make every workout an adventure. Residents can pedal through beautiful scenery while staying active and engaged alongside friends and neighbors. By seamlessly connecting with multiple OmniCycle Connect devices, OmniTour creates engaging group exercise sessions that keep residents motivated, connected, and looking forward to their next workout. 

OmniVR® Immersive Virtual Reality Exercise System     

The OmniVR® offers seniors a fun, interactive way to stay active, sharp, and socially engaged. Designed specifically for older adults, this easy-to-use system uses motion-sensing technology to let residents move, play, and interact in a safe virtual environment. With game-like activities that gently challenge both body and brain, OmniVR supports mobility, balance, memory, and strength.   

OmniFlow® Breathing Exercise Biofeedback System 

The OmniFlow® turns basic breathing exercises into an engaging, interactive experience designed to support respiratory health in older adults. By combining gentle airflow monitoring with game-like immersive virtual environments, OmniFlow helps promote lung strength, relaxation, and endurance—key contributors to staying active and independent.    

Support Active Aging in Your Community

This expansion into assisted and independent living reflects our commitment to helping enhance seniors’ quality of life through safe exercise grounded in decades of clinical expertise. Our equipment is designed for ease of use and supported by ACP’s unmatched service. By partnering with ACP, you can be among the first to introduce innovative, evidence-based technologies that set your community apart and help residents thrive. 

Get Started

Contact us to learn more about bringing ACP wellness solutions to your community.

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ACP is expanding into the assisted and independent living markets, bringing our proven wellness technologies to help residents stay active and engaged. Learn how this next chapter builds on 25 years of clinical experience supporting better outcomes in senior care.

The Role of Advanced Technology in Cardiac Rehab

The Role of Advanced Technology in Cardiac Rehab 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease in the US. It is caused by plaque build-up in the coronary arteries, which slows blood flow. The most common symptom of CAD is chest pain. However, many people don’t have symptoms and only find out they have CAD after suffering a heart attack. 

With February being American Heart Month, it’s an opportune time to highlight the importance of cardiac rehab (CR) in supporting heart health and managing CAD. CR helps prevent future heart attacks, improves physical function, and enhances quality of life. A comprehensive CR program includes physical activity, education, and counseling. Advanced rehab technology can play a role in cardiac management, improving breathing and physical activity for individuals with CAD. 

OmniFlow® Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System

In patients with stable angina, an 8-week inspiratory muscle training program improved respiratory and peripheral muscle strength, functional exercise capacity, and health-related quality of life.1 The OmniFlow Breathing Therapy Biofeedback System incorporates interactive, customizable, breathing exercises that help guide patients and their therapists. 

Forced Inhalation

Forced Exhalation

Rhythmic Breathing

Controlled Expiration

ACBT/Huff Technique

OmniVR® Virtual Rehabilitation System

A Cochrane Review of exercise-based CR in people with coronary heart disease found that exercise-based CR reduced the risk of heart attack, all-cause hospitalization, and cardiovascular mortality.2 Additionally, CR utilizing interactive virtual reality (VR) resulted in less pain, improved walking, higher energy levels, increased physical activity, and improved motivation and adherence.3  The OmniVR Virtual Reality Rehabilitation System combines gamified exercise with VR through interactive, customizable, seated and standing activities. 

  • Seated: Knee AROM, leg strength (Picnic) 
  • Sit-to-Stand: Trunk control, leg strength (Bingo) 
  • Balance and Gait: Dynamic balance, multidirectional gait (Mole, Flower Garden) 
  • Gait: Ankle/hip/stepping strategies (Walking the Dog) 
  • Upper Extremity: Sitting/standing balance, timed UE motion, functional reach (Carnival) 

OmniCycle™ Advanced Active-Assist Cycle

The 2020 American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) clinical practice guideline for patients with heart failure specifically recommends cycling as a mode for aerobic and high intensity interval training.4 ACP’s OmniCycle Connect Advanced Active-Assist Cycle has innovative motor-assist technology and customizable exercises for patients with upper- and lower-extremity challenges. Paired with the OmniTour Virtual Exercise Experience, patients can enjoy an immersive VR cycling experience that motivates them to train more often and with greater effort. 

Upgrade Your Cardiac Rehab

Interested in learning more about how ACP’s advanced rehab technologies can enhance your cardiac rehab program?

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  1. Huzmeli, I., Ozer, A. Y., Akkus, O., & Yalcin, F. (2022). The results of inspiratory muscle training on cardiac, respiratory, musculoskeletal, and psychological status in patients with stable angina: A randomized controlled trial. Disability and Rehabilitation, 
    1–12. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2146767 ↩︎
  2. Dibben, G., Faulkner, J., Oldridge, N., Rees, K., Thompson, D. R., Zwisler, A. D., & Taylor, R. S. (2021). Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation for coronary heart disease. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 11(11), CD001800. 
    https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001800.pub4 ↩︎
  3. García-Bravo, S., Cuesta-Gómez, A., Campuzano-Ruiz, R., López-Navas, M. J., Domínguez-Paniagua, J., Araújo-Narváez, A., Barreñada-Copete, E., García-Bravo, C., Flórez-García, M. T., Botas-Rodríguez, J., & Cano-de-la-Cuerda, R. (2021). 
    Virtual reality and video games in cardiac rehabilitation programs. A systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation, 43(4), 448–457. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2019.1631892  ↩︎
  4. Shoemaker, M. J., Dias, K. J., Lefebvre, K. M., Heick, J. D., & Collins, S. M. (2020). Physical Therapist Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Individuals With Heart Failure. Physical therapy, 100(1), 14–43. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzz127  ↩︎

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease in the US. It is caused by plaque build-up in the coronary arteries, which slows blood flow. The most common symptom of CAD is chest pain. However, many people don’t have symptoms and only find out they have CAD after suffering a heart attack. With February being American Heart Month, it’s an opportune time to highlight the importance of cardiac rehab (CR) in supporting heart health and managing CAD.

Journey Beyond Recovery with the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience

Journey Beyond Recovery with the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience 

We are excited to announce the launch of our newest technology, the OmniTour™ Virtual Exercise Experience. OmniTour is an innovative virtual reality-based system that boosts patient engagement, improves outcomes, and optimizes care delivery through immersive cycling experiences. By seamlessly connecting with multiple OmniCycle® Connect devices, OmniTour enables group therapy options that make rehabilitation more fun, effective, and efficient. 

OmniTour Features & Benefits 

OmniTour leverages the powerful, immersive nature of virtual reality (VR) to deliver a better patient rehabilitation experience while helping clinicians optimize care delivery. Here are just a few of the key features that make it a game-changing addition to your rehab gym: 

  • Tour Movies: Patients can cycle through over 100 virtual routes across the world, from Amsterdam’s canals to the Grand Canyon, motivating them to train more often and with greater effort. 
  • Memory Lane: Patients can journey back in time with archival photos, cycling through cities from the 1930s to the 1990s. 
  • Photo Albums: Themed image libraries offer additional engagement options, including a “Guess the Picture” mode to challenge patients cognitively. 
  • Group Therapy Options: OmniTour connects with up to four OmniCycle Connect devices via Bluetooth, enabling group therapy sessions that improve care efficiency and encourage valuable patient socialization. 

Enhance the Patient Experience with Virtual Reality 

Incorporating VR into rehabilitation can deliver significant patient benefits: 

  • Increased patient engagement and motivation1 to participate in treatment 
  • Longer, harder, and more intense training sessions 
  • Enhanced mood and reduced apathy2 
  • Optimized treatment efficiency through more skilled time and opportunities for dual-task training 

Tap into the Benefits of Group Therapy 

OmniTour’s group therapy capabilities offer benefits to both patients and facilities: 

  • Improved patient self-care performance when paired with individual treatment3 
  • Increased patient satisfaction with their therapy sessions3 
  • Reduced feelings of isolation through socialization and connection 
  • Better engagement through healthy competition 
  • Optimized resources while maintaining high-quality care 
  • Enhanced real-world skill application through more complex training environments 

Upgrade Your Rehabilitation Program & Deliver Better Patient Outcomes with OmniTour 

OmniTour has the potential to help skilled nursing facilities tap into the power of virtual reality, provide more engaging interventions, and ultimately achieve better patient outcomes. By combining the physical benefits of cycling with the cognitive and emotional engagement of virtual experiences, OmniTour offers an exciting approach to rehabilitation that addresses the whole patient. 

Bring OmniTour to Your Skilled Nursing Facility

Discover how OmniTour can boost engagement, outcomes, and care delivery to help your patients Journey Beyond Recovery.

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  1. Kizmaz, E., Telli Atalay, O., Çetin, N., & Uğurlu, E. (2024). Virtual reality for COPD exacerbation: A randomized controlled trial. Respiratory Medicine, 230, 107696. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2024.107696  ↩︎
  2. D’Cunha, N. M., Nguyen, D., Naumovski, N., McKune, A. J., Kellett, J., Georgousopoulou, E. N., Frost, J., & Isbel, S. (2019). A mini-review of virtual reality-based interventions to promote well-being for people living with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. Gerontology, 65(4), 430-440. https://doi.org/10.1159/000500040 ↩︎
  3. Luchynsky, M. K., Ashbaugh, K., Bowser, A., Campisi, E., Gleixner, M., Heinbach, B., & Snak, A. (2023). Efficacy of utilizing the group mode of treatment delivery in OT for skilled nursing facility settings. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(Supplement_2), 7711510267p1. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.77S2-PO267 ↩︎

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