Flight Simulator Rehab

[dee]

This is just a thought. I picked up a lady at a nursing home today that needed a ride to church. She's a stroke victim. When we got to church we entered the back door and there was a huge world map on the wall. As I pushed her wheel chair by the map, she asked me to stop and point out where Syria was.

What if a stroke victim sitting around a boring nursing home rotting away all day could use a flight simulator to fly anywhere in the world anytime without even leaving their room? The flight simulator does not require much movement and could possibly even be used to rehab the stroke affected side of the body to maybe learn again?

They could drive or fly where ever they wanted to go with a screen in front of them and a joystick. If I was in a nursing home and someone put a screen in from of me and a joystick in my lap I would love them. Many of those old people have in a manner of speaking been forgotten.

What do you guys think?
Dee

 

[Brink]

I like it.

 

[Kevin]

I think it's a great idea. Not sure how many old folks would try it, but maybe. Give it a try!

 

[dee]

Many of these people are in a manner of speaking forgotten. Put yourself in their spot. Your's sitting their in a lonely room, people rarely come to see you...and someone puts a screen in front of you, gives you a joystick and you can fly or drive!

Look...these people could fly around the world and the joy stick doesn't have to move all that much.
After I get some feedback here, I may go buy a joy stick and look into visiting a few nursing homes on my own time.....see what kind of response I get.
Dee

 

[Brink]

Trying something new is better than sitting around.

 

[dee]

Definitly Brink, yes! Exactly right man. These simulators can take you over some pretty realistic looking places. Today they could go to France, tomorrow they could fly over the Rockies...or whatever.

 

[dee]

I think it's a great idea. Not sure how many old folks would try it, but maybe. Give it a try!

If I was in a nursing home in a wheel chair and rolled by someones room down the hall and saw another person doing that I know I would want to try it too.

If they wreck the plane, who cares...how bout driving simulators, if they wreck no worries, not even for the insurance company!

In fact if the joystick is a form of rehab, it might even fall under a billable code for medicare or insurance. I got some calls to make.
Dee

 

[Brink]

Steven Hawking just sits there all day, wonder what he's thinking....

 

[dee]

He's probably thinking about the event horizon or worm holes or something like that Brink.

 

[Brink]

And with some ingenuity, he can tell us.

 

[Kevin]

Steven Hawking just sits there all day, wonder what he's thinking....

I wish Leonard Susskind had gone into plumbing.

That's what he's thinking.

 

[dee]

LMAO Kevin!!! Oh Kevin I can't even breath I'm laughing so hard!


Brink, he's a theorist. You and I can come up with whatever he comes up with.

 

[ripjack13]

Before buying brand new stuff....check out good will or the salvation army stores for the controllers and or programs. maybe even the monitors/screens.

Also...look for the table i linked for ya in the pm, and maybe you can modify one to work...

 

[eaglea1]

How about a laptop with "Google Earth" loaded on it, so they could both zoom in on it and also find out all about it.
JMTC

 

[ButchC]

I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest you speak to a professional rehab specialist.

Video games and specific refresh rates can cause seizures and i dont know how much more or less susceptible a stroke victim may be.

Just my two cents. Butch

 

[Kevin]

I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest you speak to a professional rehab specialist.

Video games and specific refresh rates can cause seizures and i dont know how much more or less susceptible a stroke victim may be.

Just my two cents. Butch

That's a darn good observation Butch. Lot's of things to consider.

 

[frankp]

A few other things to consider... don't make it full 180 degree view. Stroke victims often have issues with balance and I will tell you from experience the full 180 degree view in a "real" simulator can give people vertigo very quickly. 1 screen, possibly 2, 20 inch screens is the most you're going to want to use.

Second, consider things like google earth and street view as well... With google tools you can do some pretty cool immersive stuff. There are other similar options.

Obviously making it accessible to wheel chairs is good but you could give a couple of options with respect to accessibility for differing levels of rehab. Something on just a table, then something a little more "full exposure" that includes a seat with feedback etc.