A Better Bike for Bonding in Elderly Care Centers
RT Researchers Find Side-By-Side Bike Improves Resident and Staff Wellbeing
By Sarah Shebek
Aging can be isolating and lonely, especially when dementia is involved.
But a simple bike ride can make a big difference. Recreational Therapy Program Director Rhonda Nelson, PhD, MTRS, CTRS and Becca Westenskow, MS, TRS, CTRS, set up an adaptive cycling program at a senior living facility in Sandy. Their research showed that for residents and staff, a series of short rides together over a few weeks improved wellbeing.
“We found there was a significant increase in happiness pre and post ride for the residents,” Nelson said. “And on a scale from 0-10 on our wellbeing assessment, the staff ratings averaged a 9.5 after participating in the program.”
It all started with an undergraduate research lab. Nelson’s mentorship of Westenskow sparked a love of research that pushed her into the master’s program. When it came time to choose her thesis topic, Westenskow picked adaptive biking and older adults.
“I was bit by the research bug in undergrad and Rhonda Nelson helped guide me to continue my education,” she said. “I love being able to document improvements and put some numbers behind what I’m doing.”
Together, Westenskow and Nelson found the perfect bike and facility for her thesis project. The Van Raam Fun2Go tandem bike with manual and electric options is manufactured in Denmark and Crescent Senior Living’s memory care residents and staff were willing to participate.
“The bike we selected had never been used in research before,” Nelson said. “Other adaptive bikes for older adults had the residents sitting in front of the staff person. When we saw the side-by-side bike, I thought this is fantastic for being able to engage in conversation. It feels like two friends going on a ride—it creates a whole different dynamic.”
Westenskow’s research focused on the feasibility of setting up an adaptive cycling program in an assisted living facility, targeting memory care residents and staff. She decided to measure quality of life and happiness for residents, and stress and burnout for staff, over a series of eight rides in four weeks.
Using standardized assessments, Westenskow had residents and staff rate their feelings pre and post ride. Beyond the quantitative data, both groups provided valuable qualitative insights.
Residents commented that the rides were fun and exciting, they liked the nature and scenery, and they enjoyed spending one-on-one time with a staff member. Staff felt like it improved their work life, made them feel better physically or emotionally, and that it was very meaningful to see how much the rides benefitted the residents.
Armed with this data, the team ran a second study with some adjustments. Nelson led the study and Westenskow served as the site research assistant, while mentoring an undergraduate research assistant, Riley Page.
“One of the concerns related to scheduling and if it impacted work duties,” Nelson said. “We decided one ride a week was ideal because it was something to look forward to but didn’t impose on staff’s work as much.”
The new study took place over eight weeks and was open to all assisted living residents and staff. Residents took one ride a week with a staff member and filled out a wellbeing assessment after each ride that calculated wellbeing across a number of different measures.
“The scores post ride for both residents and staff members were very high, they felt all of the positive emotions and things that contribute to wellbeing,” Nelson said.
Again, the qualitative feedback stood out. One family member of a resident with dementia noted that making conversation about daily activities was difficult, since the resident often didn’t remember things that had happened. But they always remembered the days they took bike rides and were able to share specific details.
A staff member loved the program so much that she went out and bought her own bike. Her experience was so meaningful that she realized biking was something she could do with her own family members. She’d discovered one of the perks of recreational therapy—using recreation for stress management.
Now that both studies are complete and the protocol is refined, Nelson would like to trial it in other facilities. That requires administrative buy-in, and the bikes aren’t cheap, but she has other ideas to expand the program.
“We came up with well-being focused discussion prompts for rides and I think that could be modeled with something like a walking program, where staff and residents pair up for short walks,” she said. “The real focus is if recreation in paired interactions benefit staff and residents, and so far, the data shows it does.”
Beyond resident and staff wellbeing, there are other success stories from the research. Westenskow received the Future Scholar Award from The National Academy of Recreational Therapists and plans to pursue her PhD in the field.
And Nelson noted how many family members were interested in the program, suggesting shared rides with residents and family members might hold promise in improving family ties through activity.
“It can be challenging to be a family member with a loved one in assisted living—there’s a desire to spend time together but it can be a struggle to connect and have a meaningful visit. I think tools like this bike have real potential to strengthen those relationships.”
