Virtual reality is not just for showing off the latest games and inventions. The technology has found a purpose in the healthcare industry as part of improving hospice and end-of-life care.
When someone is terminally ill, it may be inevitable that the individual will, at some point, go to a hospice or treatment center for end-of-life care or, at the least, to a respite center to give home caregivers a break.
However, in the UK under a creaking, strained, and underfunded National Health Service (NHS), sometimes these facilities may be suffering themselves from a lack of budget to make these stays as comfortable as they could otherwise be.
In addition, and perhaps most importantly, taking someone away from their home at such a stage can be a difficult transition.
To make this process a little less heartbreaking, local charity hospice Loros, which provides hospice and home care to roughly 2,500 terminally ill individuals across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland, UK, has launched a new project which uses virtual reality to enhance end-of-life care.
The idea is to help those who have limited mobility to experience life outside of treatment and give them the chance to go back to places in their past which hold fond memories, as well as experience new areas beyond the hospice and home.
As shown in the video below, 70-year-old John, who is diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND), is trying out the headset equipped with a video of Bradgate Park. This kind of technology can give patients a little more joy in their lives when perhaps it matters most.
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Source: ZDNet