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Carers and professionals’ views on using virtual reality in dementia care: A qualitative study

Ajeet Gokani, Heema; Sommerlad, Andrew; Jawharieh, Hiba; Ang, Chee Siang; Huntley, Jonathan; (2024) Carers and professionals’ views on using virtual reality in dementia care: A qualitative study. Dementia 10.1177/14713012241272786. (In press). Green open access

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Abstract

Background and Objectives: Virtual reality (VR) interventions provide immersive, interactive computer-simulated virtual environments. There is interest in their use for people with dementia as they may provide stimulating experiences and improve dementia symptoms and quality of life. However, as more insight is needed about carers’ and clinical professionals’ perspectives to understand how VR may be implemented successfully, we elicited their views on the benefits of, and challenges to, using VR in dementia care. // Methods: We conducted five qualitative focus groups involving 25 healthcare professionals and informal carers with experience of dementia care. Participants received a demonstration of a VR headset and content and were then questioned following a topic guide asking for views on benefits of, and challenges to, using VR for dementia care. // Findings: The main findings addressed the benefits of, and concerns about, the impact and implications of VR on wellbeing, ethics, implementation, caregivers and services. Overall, participants had a positive attitude toward VR and made several suggestions for its future use to enable enjoyable and immersive experiences. Examples included suggestions to personalise VR content to accommodate heterogenous profiles and stages of dementia, co-developing protocols to address health risks and side effects and further investigating shared experiences of VR with caregivers. // Conclusion: Healthcare professionals and informal carers thought that VR had potential to enhance a holistic and personalised approach to dementia care. They suggested changes which could guide future implementation of VR interventions for dementia patients and their caregivers.

Type: Article
Title: Carers and professionals’ views on using virtual reality in dementia care: A qualitative study
Location: England
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1177/14713012241272786
Publisher version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14713012241272786
Language: English
Additional information: This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
Keywords: Dementia; virtual reality; caregivers; healthcare professionals; focus groups
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Division of Psychiatry > Mental Health of Older People
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10196366
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