Open Collections

So, David Kar Lai

University of British Columbia

Background: Loneliness and social isolation experienced by many Long Term Care (LTC) residents can worsen mental health, causing depression, and hastening cognitive decline. Research reports loneliness at 22-24% of LTC home residents compared to 10% of the community population. Staff play an important role in coordinating and facilitating Virtual Reality (VR) usage, which can counteract loneliness and social isolation. Therefore, for effective VR implementation in LTC settings, it is crucial to explore staff perspectives, which to date are not fully known. Purpose: Staff’s anticipated perspectives on VR psychosocial benefits to LTC residents, VR implementation facilitators, barriers and required resources are explored to inform future implementation strategies. Methods: The Interpretive Description methodology with focus group and semi-structured interviews was employed, with 35 interdisciplinary staff recruited from two LTC homes in Vancouver, Canada. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided the study. Reflexive thematic analysis identified qualitative data themes. Results: Staff reported the potential VR benefits to include: 1) realistic experiences of the world outside LTC homes made possible, 2) reminiscence and nostalgia, and 3) physical, mental and social engagement. There are three VR implementation barrier themes: 1) potential safety issues and liability, 2) staff’s perceptions of individual residents’ suitability for VR use, and 3) staff shortages and time constraints. The implementation facilitators are: 1) practice protocols and safety guidelines, 2) pre-intervention assessment of individual profiles, and 3) training and support. Funding and space resources are essential; communication can ensure optimal utilization. Discussion and Implications: Involving staff and addressing their concerns and needs are crucial due to staff’s gatekeeper and facilitator roles. Staff awareness of benefits, facilitators and barriers to VR implementation is crucial for staff buy-in and successful uptake. Staff awareness helps to maximize benefits and minimize harm to residents. The complexity of LTC settings, including age-related health issues and organizational and technological infrastructure should be considered. The CFIR framework provides guidance, highlighting the importance of individual and innovation characteristics, as well as organizational cultural context. Future research should involve staff in a co-design process to develop VR technology that improves residents’ well-being and quality of life.

Text

2024-09-03

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89133

Nursing

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/