VRx@Home

Interventional Study

Get in touch about this study

Full study title: A virtual reality at-home intervention for persons living with dementia and their caregivers

 

What is the study about?

VRx@Home is a 5-week virtual reality (VR) at-home intervention that explores whether VR experiences can enhance communication between persons living with dementia and their family/friend caregivers. This study will also explore how a head-mounted VR system, which provides a fully immersive experience, compares to tablet-based technology. Individuals living with dementia and their family/friend caregiver will watch a series of 360-degree videos together, such as concert, sporting events, and travel destinations, and then answer questions regarding their experience.

 

Eligibility- Who can participate?

Pairs of people consisting of:

  • A person living with mild-to-moderate dementia who is living at home.

And

  • A friend/family caregiver above the age of 18, who speaks and understands English and is willing to also participate in the intervention.

 

  • Participants must reside in Greater Toronto Area (Toronto, Peel, Halton, York, and Durham regions).
  • Person living with dementia cannot have a history of stroke, bypass surgery, seizure disorders, or cervical conditions or face wounds that would make it unsafe for them to wear the VR headset.

 

Time requirement

The entire intervention will be 5 weeks long, and it will take approximately 3 hours per week. Each week, sessions with the researcher will be about 2-hours long, with an additional 1-hour of independent watching. Equipment drop-off and training sessions will be done in person at the participants’ home. The weekly intervention sessions with the researchers will all be conducted virtually. During these sessions, interpersonal interactions between the person living with dementia and their caregiver will be video recorded through video-conferencing software.

 

TDRA study investigator

Dr. Jennifer Campos, Dr. Raheleh Saryazdi

TDRA Site:

Participate from home

Age Group:

, , , , , , , , , , ,

Target Population:

, , , , , , , , ,

Can't find a study you're interested in?

Give us your feedback

Do you have questions about research studies you saw on this page? Please contact tdra@utoronto.ca

Disclaimer

The listing of a study on the Toronto Dementia Network (TDN) is for informational purposes only. The safety, efficacy or scientific validity of the studies listed here have not been evaluated by The Alzheimer Society of Toronto (AST) or the Toronto Dementia Research Alliance (TDRA). The TDRA is an academic coalition among the University of Toronto and four memory clinics across Toronto at Baycrest, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and the University Health Network. The information collected will be kept and guarded by TDRA. Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Before you participate in a study, you should make sure you understand the risks and potential benefits and discuss all options with your health care provider(s).