scholarly journals Impact of Virtual Reality on Healthcare Provider Empathy for Older Adults With Sensory Impairment

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 61-62
Author(s):  
Suzanne Dutton
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
High Frequency Hearing Loss ◽  
Test Study ◽  
Change Behavior ◽  
Post Test

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that can simulate dual sensory impairment so that healthcare providers and others can experience this affliction common in older adults. This study investigated whether VR simulation could increase empathy among healthcare workers. Healthcare providers experienced a 7-minute scenario from the viewpoint of “Alfred”, a 74-year-old with macular degeneration and high frequency hearing loss on a commercial VR headset (Oculus Rift). Using a one-group pre/post-test study design, we measured knowledge, changes in empathy, and assessed participants’ self-reported behavior change. Results showed that participants increased their knowledge and that 9 of 14 empathy items had statistically significant increases. Additionally, 97% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would utilize the information learned in their work with patients. In conclusion, evidence suggests VR is an effective intervention to increase empathy and positively change behavior to support persons with sensory impairment.

scholarly journals Impact of Virtual Reality on Healthcare Provider Empathy for Older Adults with Sensory Impairment

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 764-764
Author(s):  
Suzanne Dutton ◽  
Andrea Cimino
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Innovative Technology ◽  
Sensory Impairment ◽  
Change Behavior ◽  
Empathy Scale ◽  
And Behavior

Abstract Virtual reality (VR) is an innovative technology that can simulate dual sensory impairment so that healthcare providers can experience this affliction common in older adults. The current study investigated whether VR simulation could increase empathy among healthcare workers. Empathetic care is linked with improved patient satisfaction, compliance, and outcomes. The study used a one-group pre/posttest study design implemented with healthcare providers at a hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region. All participants experienced a 7-minute VR scenario from the viewpoint of “Alfred”, a 74-year-old with macular degeneration and high frequency hearing loss on a commercial VR headset (Oculus Rift). A survey assessed participants’ self-reported knowledge, empathy, and behavior change. Empathy was measured using the validated tool Kiersma-Chen Empathy Scale (KCES). Analyses included descriptive statistics and paired t-tests. Survey results showed that participants increased their knowledge of macular degeneration and hearing loss, and that 9 of 14 empathy items had statistically significant increases (average absolute change = .41 points). Additionally, 97% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they would utilize the information learned in their work with patients. Evidence suggests VR is an effective intervention to increase empathy and positively change behavior to support persons with sensory impairment.

scholarly journals Cognitive training with virtual reality at older people longterm residences

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e39769
Author(s):  
Bruna Graciele Souza Alós ◽  
Nathália Vescia Bauer ◽  
Verônica Salazar Moreira ◽  
Rafaela Soares Rech ◽  
Aline Moreira de Mello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Older People ◽  
Test Scores ◽  
Verbal Fluency ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment Group ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Phonemic Verbal Fluency

Purpose: to describe a series of cases of older people with a clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or dementia at elderly long-term residences using virtual reality as cognitive rehabilitation.Methods: this study is a series of cases. Older adults diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia were included. Elderly people with visual and/or hearing problems that made it impossible to carry out the training were excluded. The same tests were used after intervention and at follow up after 15 days.Results: final sample consisted of 13 women and the mean age was 81.77 years (± 6.94). Patients were divided into 2 groups: mild cognitive impairment group and the dementia group. According to the therapeutic objectives aimed at improving fluency, among the results, the improvement in the scores to the group mild cognitive impairment stands out for the phonemic verbal fluency tests 23.63 (± 12.72) pre-test and 29.50 (± 11.14) post-test. There was an improvement in mild cognitive impairment group scores for the phonemic verbal fluency tests 23.63 (± 12.72) pretest and 29.50 (± 11.14) post-test. In the dementia group, test scores were 10 (± 5, 47) pretest and 12.80 (± 5.72) post-test. On the semantic verbal fluency test, the mild cognitive impairment group showed improvement 11.00 (± 3.62) pretest and 13.88 (± 6.03) post-test, while the dementia group test scores were 7.60 (± 4.56) pretest and 8.20 (± 5.12) post-test.Conclusion: regarding phonemic verbal fluency, virtual reality may be a good resource for improving the performance of older adults with mild cognitive impairment. Results were not maintained in the medium term, showing the importance of continual training.

scholarly journals Virtual Reality Exercise as a Coping Strategy for Health and Wellness Promotion in Older Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1986 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zan Gao ◽  
Jung Eun Lee ◽  
Daniel J. McDonough ◽  
Callie Albers
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Intervention Strategy ◽  
Effective Intervention ◽  
World Health ◽  
Motor Ability ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Wellness Promotion

The December 2019 COVID-19 outbreak in China has led to worldwide quarantine, as recommended by local governments and the World Health Organization. Particularly affected are older adults (i.e., those aged ≥ 65 years) who are at elevated risk for various adverse health outcomes, including declines in motor ability and physical activity (PA) participation, increased obesity, impaired cognition, and various psychological disorders. Thus, given the secular increases in the older adult population, novel and effective intervention strategies are necessary to improve physical activity behaviors and health in this population. Virtual reality (VR)-integrated exercise is a promising intervention strategy, which has been utilized in healthcare fields like stroke rehabilitation and psychotherapy. Therefore, the purpose of this editorial is to synthesize recent research examining the efficacy and effectiveness of VR exercise in the promotion of favorable health outcomes among the older adults. Results indicate the application of VR exercise to facilitate improved physical outcomes (e.g., enhanced motor ability, reduced obesity), cognition and psychological outcomes. VR exercise has also been observed to be an effective intervention strategy for fall prevention in this population. Future research should employ more rigorous research designs to allow for a more robust quantitative synthesis of the effect of VR exercise on the preceding outcomes to elucidate which type(s) of VR-based PA interventions are most effective in promoting improved health outcomes among older adults. Findings from this study will better inform the development of technology-savvy PA programs for wellness promotion in older adults who practice social distancing and exercise from home under the unprecedented global health crisis.

scholarly journals Combining tDCS With a Motor-Cognitive Task to Reduce the Negative Impact of Dual-Tasking on the Gait of Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 287-288
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Hausdorff ◽  
Nofar Schneider ◽  
Marina Brozgol ◽  
Pablo Cornejo Thumm ◽  
Nir Giladi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Dual Task ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Virtual Reality Environment ◽  
Dual Tasking ◽  
Concurrent Performance ◽  
Dual Task Cost

Abstract The simultaneous performance of a secondary task while walking (i.e., dual tasking) increases motor-cognitive interference and fall risk in older adults. Combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with the concurrent performance of a task that putatively involves the same brain networks targeted by the tDCS may reduce the negative impact of dual-tasking on walking. We examined whether tDCS applied while walking reduces the dual-task costs to gait and whether this combination is better than tDCS alone or walking alone (with sham stimulation). In 25 healthy older adults (aged 75.7±10.5yrs), a double-blind, within-subject, cross-over pilot study evaluated the acute after-effects of 20 minutes of tDCS targeting the primary motor cortex and the dorsal lateral pre frontal cortex during three separate sessions:1) tDCS while walking on a treadmill in a virtual-reality environment (tDCS+walking), 2) tDCS while seated (tDCS+seated), and 3) walking in the virtual-reality environment with sham tDCS (sham+walking). The complex walking condition taxed motor and cognitive abilities. During each session, single- and dual-task walking and cognitive function were assessed before and immediately after stimulation. Compared to pre-tDCS performance, tDCS+walking reduced the dual-task cost to gait speed (p=0.004) and other gait features (e.g., variability p=0.02), and improved (p<0.001) executive function (Stroop interference score). tDCS+seated and sham+walking did not affect the dual-task cost to gait speed (p>0.17). These initial findings demonstrate that tDCS delivered during challenging walking ameliorates dual-task gait and executive function in older adults, suggesting that the concurrent performance of related tasks enhances the efficacy of the neural stimulation and mobility.

scholarly journals Upskilling health and care workers with augmented and virtual reality: protocol for a realist review to develop an evidence-informed programme theory

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e050033
Author(s):  
Norina Gasteiger ◽  
Sabine N van der Veer ◽  
Paul Wilson ◽  
Dawn Dowding
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Realist Review ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Programme Theory ◽  
Clinical Educators ◽  
Continued Learning ◽  
Search Quality

IntroductionAugmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are increasingly used to upskill health and care providers, including in surgical, nursing and acute care settings. Many studies have used AR/VR to deliver training, providing mixed evidence on their effectiveness and limited evidence regarding contextual factors that influence effectiveness and implementation. This review will develop, test and refine an evidence-informed programme theory on what facilitates or constrains the implementation of AR or VR programmes in health and care settings and understand how, for whom and to what extent they ‘work’.Methods and analysisThis realist review adheres to the Realist And Meta-narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards (RAMESES) standards and will be conducted in three steps: theory elicitation, theory testing and theory refinement. First, a search will identify practitioner, academic and learning and technology adoption theories from databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Embase, Education Resources Information Center, PsycINFO and Web of Science), practitioner journals, snowballing and grey literature. Information regarding contexts, mechanisms and outcomes will be extracted. A narrative synthesis will determine overlapping configurations and form an initial theory. Second, the theory will be tested using empirical evidence located from the above databases and identified from the first search. Quality will be assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and relevant information will be extracted into a coding sheet. Third, the extracted information will be compared with the initial programme theory, with differences helping to make refinements. Findings will be presented as a narrative summary, and the MMAT will determine our confidence in each configuration.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required. This review will develop an evidence-informed programme theory. The results will inform and support AR/VR interventions from clinical educators, healthcare providers and software developers. Upskilling through AR/VR learning interventions may improve quality of care and promote evidence-based practice and continued learning. Findings will be disseminated through conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal articles.

scholarly journals Interrogating Social Virtual Reality as a Communication Medium for Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (CSCW) ◽  
pp. 1-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Baker ◽  
Ryan M. Kelly ◽  
Jenny Waycott ◽  
Romina Carrasco ◽  
Thuong Hoang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Communication Medium

scholarly journals Virtual reality video game improves high-fidelity memory in older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter E. Wais ◽  
Melissa Arioli ◽  
Roger Anguera-Singla ◽  
Adam Gazzaley
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Cognitive Intervention ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Placebo Control ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
High Fidelity

AbstractTherapeutic interventions have not yet been shown to demonstrate restorative effects for declining long-term memory (LTM) that affects many healthy older adults. We developed a virtual reality (VR) spatial wayfinding game (Labyrinth-VR) as a cognitive intervention with the hypothesis that it could improve detailed, high-fidelity LTM capability. Spatial navigation tasks have been used as a means to achieve environmental enrichment via exposure to and learning about novel and complex information. Engagement has been shown to enhance learning and has been linked to the vitality of the LTM system in the brain. In the current study, 48 older adults (mean age 68.7 ± 6.4 years) with average cognitive abilities for their age were randomly assigned to 12 h of computer game play over four weeks in either the Labyrinth-VR or placebo control game arms. Promptly before and after each participant’s treatment regimen, high-fidelity LTM outcome measures were tested to assess mnemonic discrimination and other memory measures. The results showed a post-treatment gain in high-fidelity LTM capability for the Labyrinth-VR arm, relative to placebo, which reached the levels attained by younger adults in another experiment. This novel finding demonstrates generalization of benefits from the VR wayfinding game to important, and untrained, LTM capabilities. These cognitive results are discussed in the light of relevant research for hippocampal-dependent memory functions.

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