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Virtual Reality-Assisted Reminiscence Therapy in Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment
Sponsor: Istituto Universitario Salesiano Venezia-Mestre (IUS)
Summary
This study evaluated whether immersive virtual reality (VR) could enhance the effects of reminiscence therapy in older adults with cognitive impairment attending day-care services. Participants were assigned to one of three conditions: individual reminiscence therapy supported by immersive VR (RT+VR), individual traditional reminiscence therapy without VR, or usual care. The study examined changes in cognitive functioning, depressive symptoms, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and health-related quality of life. The aim was to determine whether adding an immersive and personalized virtual environment to reminiscence therapy could provide additional benefits compared with traditional reminiscence therapy and usual care.
Official title: L'Impatto Della Realtà Virtuale Nella Terapia Della Reminiscenza: Al di là Del Tempo, un Ponte Tra Passato e Presente Nel Paziente Anziano
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
65 Years - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
60
Start Date
2024-04-07
Completion Date
2024-12-21
Last Updated
2026-09-24
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Virtual Reality-Assisted Reminiscence Therapy
Individual reminiscence therapy supported by immersive virtual reality was delivered in 12 sessions, twice weekly, lasting approximately 35 minutes each. Participants remained seated and experienced immersive virtual environments through a Meta Quest 3 head-mounted display. The virtual environments provided contextual and autobiographical cues to facilitate the retrieval and narration of personal memories. Scenario selection and switching were managed by an external operator to reduce cognitive and operational demands on participants. Sessions were conducted by trained psychologists.
Traditional Reminiscence Therapy
Individual traditional reminiscence therapy was delivered in 12 sessions, twice weekly, lasting approximately 35 minutes each. Trained psychologists facilitated the retrieval and narration of autobiographical memories using conventional reminiscence cues, including photographs, objects, and guided discussion of personally meaningful memories. The intervention was delivered without immersive virtual reality and was matched to the VR-assisted reminiscence therapy condition in number, frequency, and approximate duration of sessions.
Locations (2)
Centro Diurno Casetta Michelino
Padova, Padova/Veneto, Italy
Centro Diurno FAI Padova
Padova, Padova/Veneto, Italy