5 ways virtual reality is improving patient experiences and health outcomes

mood disorder treatment

research shows that combining vr with cognitive behavioural therapy (cbt), a form of mental health treatment that calls on people to recognize, assess, and change their thoughts, emotions, and behaviours in a way that addresses mood disorder symptoms, can be an effective way of improving a person’s ability to heal from these afflictions, more so than if they were to use talk therapy or medication alone.

rehabilitation and recovery

people who have had a stroke, for example, can put on a vr headset and practice movements or rehabilitation exercises virtually in a way that helps improve motivation and rehabilitation adherence, according to research .

chronic pain management

research shows that people living with painful conditions are two to three times more likely to experience suicidality than those without a history of chronic pain. because of how challenging it can be to live in constant pain and the lack of often-viable treatments, new interventions are needed—with vr being the new modality in town showing promise.

to use vr for chronic pain , people escape to tranquil environments in a way that helps to redirect their thought process away from their chronic pain, as well as improve and learn about pain responses, breathing exercises, and other calming techniques to help reduce the feelings of discomfort.

improving well-being in dementia-related diseases

dementia and dementia-related diseases severely impact a person’s quality of life, and often, medical treatments can only provide minimal relief for symptoms since these diseases are so debilitating because of the neuro-effects. according to the world health organization, “dementia is the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.”

current research is looking to use vr in a way that doesn’t cure or change the course of dementia-related diseases but can help improve symptoms and quality of life. it can also treat the disease in other ways. for example, studies are currently investigating how vr can address loneliness in those living with alzheimer’s disease. other ways vr can address dementia-related symptoms include:

• improving feelings of apathy and depression
• provide an overall sense of calm
• reduce stress levels
• distract from pain
• improve memory recall while also helping to improve the types of memories recalled, such as happier and more relaxed times in a person’s life

vr is already being used in real-time for older adults living in long-term care home, specifically the dogwood lodge in vancouver. the residents, many of whom live with dementia, use vr daily to experience new adventures in life, whether it be skydiving or visiting foreign places they may or may not have had the chance to visit during their lifetimes. the program is part of the virtual reality program in long-term care project, co-lead by dr. lillian hung, a vancouver coastal health medical researcher. the results from the project have shown that vr has its place in long-term care, especially for those with dementia, because of its ability to spark joy, feelings of adventure, and the chance to continue to experience life safely.

research continues to search for new ways that vr can help dementia-related diseases, with a new area of study being centred around the senses and how creating positive sensory experiences for those with these conditions can improve overall well-being. it’s also being used to foster better communication between patients and their families and caregivers.

correcting vision

there are various types of eye diseases that can cause low vision or vision loss. conditions that affect a person’s ability to see have been shown to decrease overall quality of life because of the way they affect mental health and life satisfaction. vr aims to change that for people with vision-related diseases.

various studies have investigated the use of vr as it correlates with diseases and conditions that cause vision loss and found that it can positively affect several parameters of vision, including stereopsis, contrast sensitivity, and visual acuity. it can also train one eye at a time, meaning that it’s potentially useful for conditions that affect only one eye at a time.

• myopia
• amblyopia
• presbyopia
• age-related macular degeneration