Virtual reality therapy (VR therapy) is increasingly becoming recognised as a legitimate and effective therapeutic intervention within care settings, particularly elderly care where residents suffer from dementia. This is because virtual reality makes what seems the impossible possible. It allows residents who are otherwise unable to step foot outside of their care home to experience things that may now seem out of their reach. This includes something as simple as taking a stroll through an autumnal forest or attending a special family members wedding, or something as big as a bucket list moment as they walk along the Great Wall of China or go snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef — all without having to leave the safe confines of their arm chair.
Just imagine the amazed expressions of your resident as he walks the forgotten streets where he grew up, or the tearful reaction of a mum desperate to be at her sons wedding but is unable to be there physically.
But what are the benefits? Well, let’s take a look!
What is virtual reality therapy for care?
Virtual Reality Therapy, otherwise known as VR therapy, is a therapeutic intervention used in some elderly care homes across the UK. This is practiced in a safe and controlled environment where residents are given virtual reality headsets to explore a virtual metaverse where possibilities are endless.
ClassVR Headsets are the perfect solution for care as they offer a vast library of content that can be controlled from one master tablet. Their headsets paired with EduVerse and EduVerse+ open the floodgates for residents as they can walk down memory lane or even embark on life-changing adventures that they never got to experience. Individual headsets can be controlled from a staff tablet, giving you ultimate control over what each resident experiences through their VR lens.
What are the benefits?
VR therapy has a wide array of benefits that incorporate reminiscence therapy, pain management and cognitive training, but let’s explore each one some more.
Reminiscence Therapy
VR can constitute to reminiscence therapy, which is particularly useful for residents with cognitive decline caused by dementia.
Why is this?
Well, VR is capable of immersing individuals in simulations of their past experiences and positive memories. For example, residents can travel back to 1966 and re-watch the moment England won the World Cup as the world around them erupts with a bustling applause, or better still — they can be right there, in the football grounds, drinking in every unforgettable moment. For the resident who was once a midwife, allow her to walk the familiar halls of a hospital as the cries of newborns fill her earlobes.
With reminiscence therapy, residents are encouraged to explore their forgotten past and talk about it with their peers, encouraging both communication and memory recall.
Pain Management
For residents suffering with prolonged pain, virtual reality therapy immerses them in a calming simulated environment that works to divert their attention from their physical pain to the virtual world they find themselves in.
This is particularly useful for residents who have just had surgery or are undergoing physical therapy.
Cognitive Training
VR headsets and virtual reality therapy can be used for games, quizzes and cognitive activities designed to improve memory recall, attention span and other cognitive functions such as decision-making.
So, it’s clear — virtual reality therapy has an array of physical and mental benefits for elderly care residents, which is just one reason why care homes across the UK are investing in this cutting-edge technology. VR headsets truly allow you to blur the lines between reality as your residents can embark on experiences they felt were lost to them while their family can make them feel present as they film important events such as weddings or holidays, that the residents than then relive through the lens of a ClassVR headset.
Want to know more about how virtual reality therapy can be rolled out across your care home? Contact our friendly and specialist team today!