Virtual Calm

By July 20, 2017Aging at Home

Using VR Videos to Reduce Dementia Distress

Host Institution: VHA Home HealthCare

Family members are often challenged with finding appropriate activities to engage individuals with dementia. Evidence suggests that immersing individuals with dementia into 3D videos of serene environments may be an effective non-pharmacological tool to manage the neuropsychiatric symptoms of dementia and help them remain in home settings.

Funded by an award of $23,953, the Virtual Calm project team, comprised of point-of-care homecare professionals, is assessing how participants with dementia and their family members respond to the use of commercially available VR technology in home settings in Toronto, Ontario.

This program will help us understand better the potential of 3D virtual reality scenarios as a tool to manage neuropsychiatric symptoms such as aggression, agitation and apathy.