Tandem VR: Synchronized Nature-Based Experiences in Virtual Reality for Hospice Patients and Their Caregivers
Purpose
Background: Nature-based virtual reality (VR) and other outdoor experiences in head-mounted displays (HMDs) offer powerful, non-pharmacological tools for hospice teams to help patients undergoing end-of-life (EOL) transitions. However, the psychological distress of the patient-caregiver dyad is interconnected and highlights the interdependence and responsiveness to distress as a unit. Hospice care services and healthcare need strategies to help patients and informal caregivers with EOL transitions.
Conditions
- Hospice
- End of Life
- Palliative Care
- Pain
- Anxiety
- Fear of Death
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Over 18 Years
- Eligible Genders
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- English speaking - Projected life expectancy of <6 months (established by hospice experts) - Cognitively intact (has sufficient judgment, planning, organization, and self-control)
Exclusion Criteria
- Having a cognitive impairment that affects protocol participation. This will be done with the assistance of Research Recruiters to assess eligibility. - Have a condition that interferes with VR usage, including but not limited to seizures, facial injury precluding safe placement of headset - Have a prognosis of hours or actively dying at the time enrollment - Patients with motion sickness - Patients with claustrophobia - Patients with visual and hearing impairment - Patients with inability to speak English
Study Design
- Phase
- N/A
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- N/A
- Intervention Model
- Single Group Assignment
- Intervention Model Description
- Multiple Method Design
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None (Open Label)
Arm Groups
| Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
|---|---|---|
|
Experimental Tandem Virtual Reality Experience |
Tandem VR Intervention After the surveys are completed, the researchers will share a personalized library of immersive, nature-based, 360-degree VR experiences for the participant-caregiver dyads to choose from based on their VR Intake Form. Once the dyad has determined their desired Tandem VR experience from the library, the researchers will assist the dyads in donning the VR head mounted display (HMD). The researchers will ensure the safety of both dyads while using the HMDs. The researchers will then initiate the Tandem VR experience. The duration of the Tandem VR experience will be 5-15 minutes. |
|
Recruiting Locations
More Details
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- Prisma Health-Upstate
Detailed Description
Methods: This study uses a synchronized Tandem VR approach where patient- caregiver dyads experience immersive nature-based and other outdoor VR content. This mixed methods study will recruit 20 patient-caregiver dyads (N = 40) enrolled in home hospice services nearing the end-of-life. Dyads will experience a personalized nature-based or other outdoor VR experience lasting 5-15 minutes. Self-reported questionnaires and semi-structured interviews will be collected before and after the VR intervention to identify the impacts of personalized nature-based and other outdoor Tandem VR experiences on the QOL, pain, and fear of death in patient-caregiver dyads enrolled with hospice services. Additionally, this protocol will determine the acceptance of personalized nature-based and other outdoor Tandem VR experiences by dyads as a non-pharmacological modality for addressing patient and caregiver needs. Acceptance was quantified by the number of dyads accepting or declining the VR experience during recruitment. Discussion: Using personalized, nature-based and other outdoor VR experiences, the patient-caregiver dyads can simultaneously engage in an immersive encounter to help alleviate symptoms associated with declining health and EOL phases for the patient and the often overburdened caregiver. This protocol focuses on meeting the need for person- and caregiver-centered, non-pharmacological interventions to reduce physical, psychological, and spiritual distress.
