Dementia Caregiver Virtual Reality Skills Training

Interventional Study

Full study title: Dementia Caregivers Skill Training through Virtual Reality Simulation (Clinical Efficacy and Safety Pilot Study)

What is the study about?

“VR-SIM Carers” is a collaborative Research and Development initiative aimed at co-designing a virtual reality (VR) training program for care providers who support persons living with dementia. This training program will help care providers become more familiar with the realities of caregiving and safely practice communication and behavioral management techniques.

This project is looking to enroll care providers in a “Clinical Efficacy and Safety Pilot Study.” As a participant, you will be asked to attend an in-person orientation session where you will receive instructions on how to use the VR headset. You will also be asked to complete a series of surveys.

After the orientation, you will be given a VR headset to take home so you can complete the VR-SIM Carers training program at your own pace. Four weeks following your orientation session, you will be asked to return the VR headset and complete some additional assessment scales.

One month after returning the headset, you will receive a follow-up phone call during which you will be asked to complete another set of surveys and share your feedback.

Eligibility – Who can participate?

Participants must:

Participants must be:
18 years of age or older
Able to provide informed consent
A current or former unpaid/ family caregivers/care-partners
Caring/have provided care for an individual with either suspected mild cognitive impairment or diagnosed Alzheimer’s Diseases. A formal diagnosis is not required.
Not be experiencing current psychological distress or psychiatric conditions (e.g. Major Depressive Disorders, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Bipolar, Schizophrenia)
Able to read and speak English, and
- participate in prototype testingparticipate in a post-intervention feedback survey.

Time requirement

Timeline	Tasks to complete
Week 1: Orientation Event (75 minutes)	· In-person visit at recruitment site. · Complete the consent form and baseline assessment scales · Sign out Study VR headset · Complete a VR orientation · Complete Simulator Sickness Questionnaire
Week 2 & 3: Self-paced Learning on VR-SIM Carers	· Complete three (3) caregiving scenarios · Review Dr. Aiden’s Feedback · Review Program Resources · Receive ONE check-in phone call or zoom call from the study team
Week 4: In-person visit by study team (30 minutes)	· Complete Time 2 Assessment Scales · Return Study VR headset · Schedule Final Follow up for 4 weeks later
Week 8	· Complete Time 3 Assessment Scales · Provide feedback on study experience