As many individuals are worrisome about the adequacy of care provided by the workers who support the needs of older adults, virtual reality caregiver training might answer some worries. Thanks to its immersion, such tools can help situate the individuals in the shoes of the person they are taking care of and, therefore, building empathy. On the other hand, it also solidifies the experience when mistakes are made.
In December last year, the Michener Institute of Education at UHN, in collaboration with the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and Baycrest, received a grant to further develop their virtual reality caregiver training which is specifically targeted to individuals who will be taking care of people with dementia.
The goal of this project is to "develop skills that maximize safe, [for] compassionate care is a key priority in health care."
Virtual Reality Caregiver Training
Michener Received a Grant to Develop Its Technology Further
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Reality Caregiver Training - Opportunity to enhance caregiver training by using virtual reality to build empathy and solidify experiences
2. Dementia Care - Opportunity to develop specialized caregiver training for individuals supporting people with dementia
3. Immersion Technology - Opportunity to leverage immersive technologies for training and education purposes
Industry Implications
1. Healthcare - Opportunity for healthcare institutions to implement virtual reality caregiver training programs
2. Education - Opportunity for educational institutions to incorporate virtual reality as a training tool for caregivers
3. Technology - Opportunity for technology companies to develop virtual reality solutions for caregiver training