Title: Virtual Reality in Keeping Seniors Active (VIREAS)
Summary: This talk presents a multidisciplinary project: Virtual Reality in Keeping Seniors Active (VIREAS). The purpose of VIREAS is to provide a comprehensive solution for the use of virtual reality (VR) as means of keeping older adults active, both in residential and care settings. The project has produced two main outcomes: the Virtual Experience Kit software and the conceptual manual. The Virtual Experience Kit offers the user a naturally stimulating environment that respects not only limitations but also the psycho-spiritual needs of older adults, which can positively influence self-expression and self-esteem, provide motivation, stimulate curiosity, and generally enhance well-being. However, the users’ acceptance of VR may be negatively affected by several factors, such as non-personalized content, infantile content, lack of interactivity, or no possibility to share comments, ideas, and connotation with actual or previous life. The conceptual manual includes several areas that need to be taken into account in the implementation of VR in care homes, such as the design and quality of the virtual experience, spatial and technical requirements for the facility, the specifics of VR in the case of various health issues, the content and form of the virtual experience, communication between the worker and the user, and the ethical principles of using VR and necessary competencies of the activity worker. This talk will include several videos and provides examples of using virtual experience in memory training or reminiscence.
Speaker Biography: Dr. Věra Suchomelová completed her master’s degree at the Faculty of Theology, University of South Bohemia (Czechia). In 2015, she successfully obtained her doctoral degree in theology, specializing in pastoral theology. Her research centers on spirituality and spiritual needs in old age, with a particular focus on pastoral care in nursing homes and ethical aspects of assistive technologies for older adults. She served as the lead researcher in the multidisciplinary project Virtual Reality in Keeping the Older Adults Active (VIREAS) from 2019 to 2022. At the Faculty of Theology, she teaches both theoretical and practical courses related to well-being in old age and spirituality within social work. Additionally, as a certified memory coach, she leads specialized courses for older adults. Since 2024, Dr. Suchomelová has held the position of Vice-Dean for International Relations.
Participants may attend the seminar in-person at the Rudy North Lecture Theatre in the Centre for Brain Health at UBC, or virtually via Zoom. Zoom details for virtual attendance can be found below. A light lunch will be provided for all those attending in-person.
To join over Zoom:
Zoom Meeting ID: 93567 416276 | Passcode: 416276
Step 1: Open https://ubc.zoom.us/ and click on ‘Join a Meeting’.
Step 2: Enter the 11 digit Zoom Meeting ID & click ‘Join.’
Step 3: If you have the Zoom client, click ‘Open Zoom Meetings'; otherwise, click ‘join from your browser.’
Step 4: Enter the passcode in the passcode field & click ‘Join Meeting.’