By Cahors editorial staff
Published on 18 Feb 21 at 19:02
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Thanks to theassociation “Hôpital Sourire” and its donors, the elders ofLong-term care unit (USLD) of the’Cahors hospital can now enjoy simple and fun stimulation, with the virtual reality.
Headsets to immerse yourself in virtual reality
“Hôpital Sourire”, an association formed by a team of volunteers, has been mobilizing in Cahors since 2012 to finance and support, with the help of their many donors, various projects in the health establishments of the department. Thanks to the involvement of the “Hôpital Sourire” association, certain projects are being carried out in all the services for children and the elderly in hospitals., their main objective being to ease their time in hospital.
Today, they allow residents of USLD Cahors to take advantage of a new support technology: virtual reality.
“Many of our residents present with mood disorders aggravated by somatic problems (chronic pain, for example) and by a feeling of isolation and withdrawal into oneself. With the help of this new technology, we are able to offer them a non-medicinal and ecological alternative by offering them moments of escape and travel in complete safety in these moments of isolation and confinement ”
Virtual reality makes it possible to offer a possibility of non-drug management in the support of the elderly with cognitive disorders and mood disorders, an approach which thus makes it possible to improve their quality of life without the risks associated with taking psychotropic drugs. The foundations of virtual reality are represented by the Burdea triangle of the three I’s: Immersion, Interaction and Imagination.
Among the various benefits of virtual reality, we find: cognitive stimulation (activation of positive memories) and the soothing of mood disorders such as anxiety, sadness or irritability. Its use allows the person to regain autonomy by giving him a feeling of control in environments that promote relaxation and reminiscence, this in the context of adapted physical activity for example.
Simply put, this technique gives the person a feeling of escape and travel through a perceptual and interactive immersion in a virtual world.
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