Imagine how it might feel to navigate the cognitive complications of Alzheimer’s disease for a second. The people you love most now seem unfamiliar. The words and phrases that would roll off your tongue without a second thought are now hard to find. The world you once knew has changed, leaving you longing for something familiar.
One of the kindnesses imparted by Alzheimer’s is the long-term memories that often still exist long after short-term memories have gone. It is why connecting seniors with dementia to the past is usually an effective way to engage them – through movies, music, photos, and reminiscing. We can now add a high-tech tool to the ways we can help seniors with dementia mentally engage with the past that demonstrates effective outcomes in those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease: virtual reality.
Skip Rizzo, director of virtual medical reality at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies, has utilized the technology to assist veterans experiencing PTSD. He is now expanding his reach to seniors – starting with his 89-year-old mother. Her delightful response to a virtual visit to Rome confirmed precisely how impactful technology could be for seniors with dementia.
Rizzo shares an interaction in which he visited a senior living home. A group of residents was gathered around a table in silence until he began showing them flashcard-like pictures of objects that might be familiar from their past. The shift in the room was notable as the seniors with dementia started sharing memories. With the ability of low-tech tools such as simple photographs to create delight for older adults, imagine the possibilities available to us now with high-tech solutions like virtual reality!
The benefit of virtual reality for seniors goes further than just boosting memory and bringing enjoyment, including:
Increased Socialization
We realize that older adult isolation leads to several physical and mental health problems. A recent study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine announced that approximately one in four seniors feels socially isolated. To address this concern, AARP Innovation Labs has created an app called Alcove, in which older adults and their friends and family can enjoy virtual reality experiences together.
Improved Medical Care
The distraction of virtual reality is an excellent tool for relieving aging adults of physical pain. Additionally, it can be used to improve motor skills and balance and improve spatial reasoning. It can even help physicians detect health conditions by monitoring how older adults respond to different games and activities.
Want to explore how our elderly care in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties can improve the quality of life? Reach out to our home care team online or at 215.995.2012 to learn more about our services!
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