Study carried out by the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University in association with Mynd Immersive and AT&T 5G Healthcare
Technology related to virtual reality (VR) is not limited to the young. Research from Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab (VHIL) shows that it’s opening the door for improving connections between the elderly population and their carers.
This study was conducted shortly after the American Medical Association released CPT codes for virtual reality (VR) therapies, which was a significant step forward for the development of digital treatments.
The purpose of the research was to find out how older persons felt about new technology, such as virtual reality, and how professional carers felt about helping older adults have VR experiences. Dr. Jeremy Bailenson, the VHIL’s founding director and one of the world’s foremost authorities in comprehending and examining human behaviour and social reactions in virtual reality, oversaw the study with Ph.D. researcher Ryan Christopher Moore.
According to Dr. Bailenson, this research demonstrates the revolutionary uses of a technology that is usually connected with childhood amusement in the field of healthcare, especially geriatric care. He also said that positive feedback has been received from elders and carers alike, indicating that VR may be a useful and long-lasting resource in elder care settings.
The use of Mynd Immersive (previously MyndVR) to engage with residents was found to be more enjoyable by 81.5% of carers than other activities. Additionally, 94.9% of carers said that using Mynd had a moderate to highly positive impact on their connection with the resident. In a similar vein, according to 83% of residents, utilising Mynd improved their interaction with the carers in a moderate to very positive way.
The investigation also discovered that after utilising Mynd, 74.2% of the carers said the residents’ mood improved, and 79.2% of the seniors said they felt happier. After utilising Mynd, 57.9% of older persons said they felt less alone in the outer world.
When compared to other technologies like mobile phones and voice assistants, the study population’s favourable opinions towards virtual reality (VR) declined less, but positive attitudes towards new technology often diminish with age.
Chris Brickler, Mynd Immersive CEO, said that VR experiences that are shared, such as going back to a senior’s birthplace or exploring a location they have often desired to see, may foster stronger ties, greater interaction, and psychological bridges. They must develop technologies like Mynd that can contribute to the creation of a more pleasurable and rewarding atmosphere for those being cared for and the person in charge since they have observed an enormous expansion in the growing elderly population at the same time that there is a marked drop in the number of available caretakers.
To support this research and beyond, Mynd has assembled a formidable coalition of industry partners, including AT&T, HTC VIVE, Select Rehabilitation, and some of the most cutting-edge senior living communities in the world, including Commonwealth Senior Living, Sodalis Senior Living, John Knox Village in Pompano Beach, Florida, and Long Island State Veteran Home, among others.
According to Joe Drygas, AT&T Healthcare Head, an era of innovation in the delivery of immersive, digital treatments is coming forth. The integration of 5G and AI with XR experiences will have a significant influence on all of the ways they can support the caretakers of elderly and provide them with the best treatment imaginable. Thanks to the collaboration with Mynd Immersive and AT&T, the potential of connected medicine for seniors and their loved ones is becoming increasingly apparent.
Cher Wang, the chairwoman of HTC, remarked that she and her team believed that VR may have a good influence on mankind, prompting them to create the HTC VIVE. This kind of information from reputable external scholars like Stanford University as well as business collaborators like Mynd strengthens their conviction and advances the sector as a whole.