CyberCycle machine at La Costa Glen
A new year is upon us, and area seniors are joining in on the fun of those yearly resolutions. Residents at La Costa Glen will strap on their shoes and cycle into virtual reality in 2020 with a new CyberCycle.
The community received its first CyberCycle just four months ago. It was so popular that the community decided to invest in a second CyberCycle that arrived at the community two weeks ago. Since then, La Costa Glen has been buzzing with the sound of bicycle wheels.
The bikes provide a virtual screen where residents have the option to cycle through more than 40 computer-simulated environments, ranging from extreme mountains to flat ground. The machines also have game options, and riders can participate in group rides against each other. Research shows CyberCyclists experience a 23% reduction in progression to mild cognitive impairment compared to traditional exercisers.
Resident Dale Bowen rides the bike daily for 45 minutes. “I love the games that the bike offers and actually consider myself a gamer now,” said Bowen. To show her love for this fun exercise machine, she recently conducted a demo of the machine at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting & Expo in San Diego and even dressed up as a CyberCyclist for Halloween last year.
More than a dozen residents use the CyberCycle at the community, and with Dale getting more residents involved, they’re expecting more residents to take part.
