RESEARCH
Dementia care in the digital age: A VR intervention for care home residents
Method: Randomized controlled trial (RCT)
The primary aim of this RCT is to identify optimal applications of nature-based virtual reality (VR) to maximize therapeutic benefits for older adults residing in care homes.
Immersive virtual reality (VR) can create computer-generated natural environments that provide sensory richness and a perception of being immersed in nature, separate from physical surroundings. VR offers particular promise for individuals with mobility constraints by mitigating limited physical access to nature, while also providing unique opportunities for restorative healthcare. Nature-based VR has been shown to improve quality of life in institutional settings, with older residents reporting reduced social isolation, improved mood, and better wellbeing. However, further research is needed on VR as a health prevention tool in care homes, schools, and prisons.
We randomly assigned the participants into two groups (intervention vs. control group). The intervention will take 30 mins. First, both groups were invited to participate in a 10-minute pre-treatment activity. The intervention group was asked to join the conversation about their previous experience in nature (e.g., park, beach, seaside). In contrast, the control group was asked to join the conversation about their previous job or hobbies. Following the pre-treatment activity, all participants were invited to engage in a nature-based VR session that features a 6-minute video. To provide more familiar natural scenery, the video was recorded at Repulse Bay in Hong Kong. We concluded with a brief discussion of the experience. The intervention will be repeated five times over two weeks.
This study suggests that a better understanding of participants' characteristics — including age, mobility, baseline health status, and prior nature exposure — is needed to maximize the benefits of nature-based interventions for older adults in care settings.
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure