Virtual Reality for Dementia Care
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Deployment and Evaluation of Virtual Reality for Dementia Care
IRAS ID
301577
Contact name
Chee Siang Ang
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Kent
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 2 days
Research summary
Background
Many people diagnosed with dementia who live in care homes cannot experience going outside by themselves like they once could, affecting their quality of life and well-being. Research shows that non-pharmacological interventions give the best improvement and recovery from this condition. The introduction of new technology such as Virtual Reality (VR) can provide access to allow people with dementia to experience a new environment whilst in a safe location.
Aim
This study will test the feasibility and acceptability of deploying VR in a care home setting for people with mild and moderate dementia where caregivers co-create VR experiences in different care scenarios and where the impact of VR on the well-being and cognitive processes is assessed. It will also investigate how family members/caregivers can co-experience VR remotely and explore the challenges and opportunities of designing such a technology.
Method
The VR intervention will be carried out in three parts: two face-to-face sessions and one remote session. There will be a selection of different virtual environments based on the residents’ preference to engage with the VR system for thirty minutes. Tutorials will be given to staff caregivers and family members prior to the study's start.
Caregivers will observe residents for 15 minutes before, during and after 3 hours of each exposure using validated measurements. More data will be collected through two validated questionnaires, two non-validated questionnaires and structured interviews, which will be thematically analysed to establish themes related to acceptability. A staff member will record the residents’ sleeping patterns the night before and after the exposure.
VR sessions and interviews will be video recorded to complete the above data analysis. All the data will be stored in a locked cabinet or a password-protected computer where once the data analysis is complete, they will both be deleted.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
21/NE/0137
Date of REC Opinion
28 Jul 2021
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion