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Caregivers for the rapidly growing senior population are facing many challenges - calming moments of agitation, engaging periods of apathy, reducing social isolation, enlarging the circle of care - all while needing moments of respite themselves.
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caregiVR is the result of nearly a decade of clinical research and user-engagement.
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Unlike most products on the market, our choices were, and continue to be, driven by the needs and preferences of people with lived experience, their healthcare providers, and loved ones.
Click on a study below to get a link to the peer-reviewed article or abstract.
VR can meaningfully stimulate providing a moment of respite to family caregivers
Articles
Appel L., Appel, E., Lewis S., Appel, J., Kisonas, E., Rosenberg, J., and Smith, C. (2024)
VRCT: Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Reality on the Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and Quality of Life of Inpatients With Dementia in Acute Care: Randomized Controlled Trial
J Med Internet Res.; 26: e51758
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
VR can be an effective tool in managing aggression in people with dementia.
Appel L., Saryazdi R., Lewis S., Garcia-Gilier E., Q. K., Garito I., Tesfaye E., Campos, J. (2023)
VRx@Home Pilot: Can Virtual Reality Therapy Improve Quality of Life for People with Dementia Living at Home?
IEEE Xplors: Systems, Man and Cybernetics, pp. 4542-4549
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
A second device that controls the experience in the VR headset can simplify the entire experience.
Appel L., Appel, E., Lewis, S., Cheng, L., (2022)
Virtual Reality for Veteran Relaxation (VR2) – Evaluating VR as Therapy to Manage Responsive Behaviours in Veterans Living in Long-term Care.
Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 2, 724020
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
VR can be an effective tool for distracting from acute physical pain.
APPEL L., Recknagel, J., Lewis, S., Kisonas, E., (2022)
VRCHIVE: Experiences conducting an online workshop teaching intergenerational participants to create virtual reality films about their lives during the COVID pandemic.
Educational Gerontology, 48(7), 305–330
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
VR is more meaningful when experiences are customized to the individual. Older adults can be taught how to use VR technology, even remotely.
APPEL L., Appel, E., Kisonas, E., Pasat, Z., Mozeson, K., Vemulakonda, J., & Sheng, L. Q. (2021)
Virtual Reality for Veteran Relaxation (VR 2)-Introducing VR-therapy for Veterans with Dementia-Challenges and Rewards of the Therapists Behind the Scenes
Frontiers in Virtual Reality, 2, 720523
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
Those administering VR need training to support effective treatment.
Appel L, Kisonas E, Appel E, Klein J, Bartlett D, Rosenberg J, Smith CN. (2021)
VRCT Pilot: Administering Virtual Reality Therapy to Manage Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Patients With Dementia Admitted to an Acute Care Hospital: Results of a Pilot Study
Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research 5(2):e22406
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
VR therapy was found to be acceptable to and comfortable by most patients living with dementia admitted to an acute care hospital.
APPEL L., Ali, S., Narang, T., Mozeson, K., Orchanian-Cheff, A., Campos, J. (2021)
Virtual Reality to Promote Wellbeing in Persons with Dementia: A Scoping Review
Journal of Medical Internet Research Formative Research 5(2):e22406
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
VR technologies have increasingly been considered potentially valuable tools in dementia-related research and care.
APPEL L., Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Bartlett, D., Klein, J., Rosenberg, J., and, Smith, C. (2020)
VRCT Pilot: Introducing virtual reality therapy for inpatients with dementia admitted to an acute care hospital: learnings from a pilot to pave the way to a randomized controlled trial.
Pilot and Feasibility Studies 6, 166
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
It is feasible to evaluate VR as a non-pharmacological intervention in acute-care hospitals for people living with dementia.
Appel L., Appel, E Bogler, O., Wiseman, M., Cohen, L., Ein, N., Abrams, H., Campos, J. (2020)
Frail older adults can benefit from immersive Virtual Reality experiences: A feasibility study.
Frontiers in Medicine, 6, 329
MAIN TAKE-AWAY:
VR is safe (can be used with hearing aids, most glasses) for frail older adults. Institutions caring for this population are interested in novel treatments.
Abstracts
Appel, L., Appel, E., Lewis, S., Kisonas, E., Appel, J., and Smith, C. (2021).
VRCT: Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Reality-therapy on BPSD and QoL of Acute Care In-patients With Dementia.
Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease,
8(S1):S158
Appel, L., Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Rosenberg, J., and Smith, C. (2020).
Administering Virtual Reality Therapy to Manage Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Patients with Dementia Admitted to an Acute-care Hospital: Results of a Pilot Study.
13th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) November 4-7.
Journal of Preventative Alzheimer’s Disease,
7(S1):S55-S119.
Appel, L., Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Rosenberg, J., and Smith, C. (2020).
Virtual Reality therapy for inpatients with dementia admitted to an acute-care hospital: Learnings from a pilot to pave the way to a randomized controlled trial.
13th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) November 4-7.
Journal of Preventative Alzheimer’s Disease,
7(S1):S55-S119.
Chen, B., Appel, L., Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Rosenberg, J., and Smith, C. (2020).
Predicting Response to Virtual Reality Therapy for Treatment of BPSD in Acute-care Settings.
13th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) November 4-7.
Journal of Preventative Alzheimer’s Disease,
7(S1):S55-S119.
Appel, L., Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Bartlett, D., Klein, J., Rosenberg, J., and Smith, C. (2020).
Virtual Reality therapy for inpatients with dementia: Learnings from a pilot study introducing a non-pharmacological intervention to an acute-care hospital.
10th Canadian Conference on Dementia (CCD) Québec City, October 3, 2019.
Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 23(1), 4-87.
Appel, L., Ali, S., Narang, T., Wiseman, M., Ein, E., Orchanian-Cheff, A., and Campos, J. (2020).
Exploring technological characteristics of Virtual Reality interventions for individuals living with Dementia: a scoping review.
10th Canadian Conference on Dementia (CCD) Québec City, October 3, 2019.
Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 23(1), 4-87
Appel, L., Narang, T., Ali, S., Wiseman, M., Ein, E., Orchanian-Cheff, A., and Campos, J. (2020).
Exploring evaluation methods of Virtual Reality interventions for individuals living with Dementia: a scoping review.
10th Canadian Conference on Dementia (CCD) Québec City, October 3, 2019.
Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 23(1), 4-87
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Appel, L., Bogler, O., Appel, E., Wiseman, M., Cohen, L., Hill, D., Ein, N., Abrams, H., and Campos, J. (2018).
Prescribing Virtual Reality (VRx): Can exposure to simulated natural environments using Virtual Reality (VR) offer an alternative therapy for those living with dementia/ cognitive impairment who are limited from being outside?
9th Canadian Conference on Dementia (CCD) Toronto, November 2017.
Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 21(1), 71-133
