Patients travel back in time through a series of videos that help them improve their overall well-being.
Around 100 people in the UK with dementia will take part in some virtual reality testing created by Virtue and funded by the British government (Britain’s National Health Service) to help recover lost memories. The idea is to put these people video content that transport them to popular places of the 40s and 50s, that is, that they travel in time so that those buried thoughts and emotions that allow them to resume contact with their relatives and caregivers emerge.
“If people remember more about their past, they remember more about themselves, it just helps with overall mental well-being,” Virtue co-founder Arfa Rehman tells Reuters.
To play the different contents, patients in several hospitals and residences use a mobile VR viewer, making it more impactful than if they were watching it on a traditional screen, as it also eliminates real-world distractions.
Dementia occurs when the brain is damaged by strokes or diseases such as Alzheimer’s. People with this pathology may suffer memory loss and difficulties thinking, problem solving or language, so reminiscence therapy improves cognitive functions and reduces depressive symptoms, they explain.
The tests will be carried out in the next six months. “All areas are very interested in seeing if this software improves well-being, mood and sleep, and if it reduces anxiety and agitation, as well as the potential to reduce some of the pain experienced in dementia. We have seen that our application so far has a surprising impact. We hope this collaboration will encourage other organizations to embrace immersive technology, ” Rehman concludes.
