07.18.2024 Juanita
Stimulating memories
Steven Embleton, head of product for wellness and learning at Oomph, Person Centred Software, explains how technology is supporting reminiscence therapy for people with dementia.
In June 2019, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) made an important update to its quality standard on dementia. As part of this update, NICE recommended that individuals living with dementia should have access to activities aimed at promoting their overall wellbeing; this includes reminiscence therapy.
Reminiscence therapy (RT) is a therapeutic approach for people living with dementia that involves recalling past events, experiences, and personal memories. This form of psychotherapy aims to evoke positive emotions and a sense of pleasure by revisiting significant life events, ultimately improving an individual's sense of wellbeing.
Recalling joyful life events also helps soothe those living with dementia and allows care staff to understand an individual's life better. Additionally, discussing memories has been linked with a decrease in cognitive decline and can help reduce feelings of anxiety, stress, wandering, frustration, and more.
New technology, like virtual tours, can greatly support reminiscence therapy. Virtual tours can 'virtually' immerse people in images of familiar surroundings, like their favourite childhood holiday destination, helping them revisit memorable times.
Virtual tours demonstrate the power of technology to:
- Evoke memories
- Foster emotional connections
- Improve social interactions between staff, residents and families
- Enhance the overall quality of life and wellbeing for older adults
Our Oomph! Wellbeing and Activities Platform hosts a wide range of content for older adults, provided by our esteemed partners who are experienced experts in their respective fields.
One of our partners is VR Care, a dedicated service for care homes that provides virtual reality technology and virtual tours.
The founder of VR Care, Mark Kendrick, boasts an extensive background in the media industry dating back to 2005. Following his contributions to the iconic children's TV series Postman Pat, Mark embarked on establishing his first media production company in 2006.
Since then, he has successfully executed numerous video production projects for various NHS organisations and suppliers in the health and care sector and delivered impactful care home videos for organisations across the UK.
VR Care's virtual tours (with captivating content and immersive experiences) are embedded within our Oomph! Wellbeing and Activities Platform.
These experiences allow residents to partake in virtual escapades, embark on city tours, and bask in proximity to nature and animals from the comfort of their surroundings.
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