None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of a 10-minute virtual reality nature experience for older adults residing in aged residential care facilities. Specifically, the study aims to: 1.) Evaluate the feasibility of the study design and VR experience through examining recruitment, retention, intervention delivery, safety and adverse effects, and data completeness. 2.) Qualitatively evaluate the acceptability of the study design and VR experience. 3.) Conduct a preliminary examination of the impact of the VR experience on well-being outcomes, including connectedness to self, others, and the world, spiritual well-being, depression, anxiety, and somatic symptom burden. It is hypothesized that the virtual reality (VR) nature experience will be feasible and acceptable for use with older adults in aged care, and may lead to preliminary improvements in well-being outcomes.
Interventions
Participants will all experience the same 10-minute nature-based virtual reality session conducted in person at each individual’s rest home facility. They will be fitted with a Meta Quest 3 headset to wear for the 10-minute duration. The VR experience features footage of New Zealand nature scenes accompanied by meditative music blended with the natural sounds of each scene. This footage can be accessed on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEO4my44oqw). Prior to the VR experience, particip
Participants will all experience the same 10-minute nature-based virtual reality session conducted in person at each individual’s rest home facility. They will be fitted with a Meta Quest 3 headset to wear for the 10-minute duration. The VR experience features footage of New Zealand nature scenes accompanied by meditative music blended with the natural sounds of each scene. This footage can be accessed on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEO4my44oqw). Prior to the VR experience, participants will complete a 40-minute baseline questionnaire and via an iPad watch a 4-minute pre-recorded video introducing and encouraging the experience of awe. Immediately following the VR session, a follow-up questionnaire taking approximately 30 minutes will be completed. Finally, one week later, the final follow-up questionnaire will be completed, taking 35 minutes either in-person or online. The session will be conducted by the student researcher completing her thesis in Health Psychology. The VR experience will be conducted with participants either seated in a sturdy chair or in bed in a sitting-up position. The intervention will be delivered face to face to each participant individually. Adherence to the VR experience will be monitored by direct observation from the researcher.
Sponsors
University of Auckland
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Intervention model
Single group
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used) (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
65 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Key inclusion criteria are (a) participants are aged 65 years and older, and (b) participants are residing within a residential care facility (rest home setting).
Exclusion criteria
Key exclusion criteria are (a) participants have a cognitive, visual, or hearing impairment that would limit their ability to provide informed consent, answer questionnaires, and use virtual reality technology, (b) participants have a history of significant motion sickness, current nausea, or are physically unable to tolerate wearing the virtual reality headset for a minimum of a 10-minute duration, and (c) participants are unable to read or speak in English.
Outcome results
None listed