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Virtual reality adds empathy to dementia care
- Virtual reality technology is being used to enhance empathy and understanding of dementia care among nursing home staff.
- Li-Mei Chen, an assistant professor of social work at George Mason University, saw the potential of VR technology for training nursing home staff to better understand dementia patients.
- Chen collaborated with a Japanese company to adapt VR technology for a pilot program, combining immersive scenarios, online lessons, and group discussions for certified nursing assistants (CNAs).
- Participants in the program experienced the disorientation, fear, and confusion faced by dementia patients in virtual reality scenarios.
- The project aims to provide support and training for caregivers in the field of dementia care, which often faces high turnover rates and recruitment challenges.
- Chen plans to expand the VR training to include scenes set in American care settings, despite language and cultural differences.
- The VR training marked the first exposure to dementia-specific training for many CNAs, offering them validation and the opportunity to contribute to the study.
- Chen and her team are analyzing feedback from the pilot program and plan to present their findings at a conference in November.
- The project is built on a relationship-centered care approach that prioritizes empathy, trust, and human connection in dementia care.
- Chen's project is supported by grants focused on relationship-centered care for caregivers of persons living with dementia and immersive training in nursing homes.
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