Hospice trials
new virtual reality
experience to help
patients in pain
R
ESIDENTS OF AN EDINBURGH
hospice facility were the first
palliative care patients in Scotland
to experience the stunning effects of
virtual reality in an exciting new university
research project.
The interactive initiative, which can virtually
transport patients to locations on the other
side of the world, will look at the impact of
virtual reality (VR) on patients’ health and
wellbeing.
An initial group of six patients at St Columba’s
Hospice benefitted from the transformative
effects of VR when they were offered the
chance to revisit some of their favourite
places or explore a part of the world they had
never seen. Using the latest high-tech VR
headsets, one individual was transported to
Jerusalem, a place he had always dreamed
of visiting. In another session, a lady who
was 101 years old, was thrilled to revisit her
childhood home in Darjeeling and indulge in a
trip up the Amazon river for the first time. The
experience triggered happy memories with
the opportunity to reminisce about old times,
as well as encounter new places.
The patients also took the chance to
immerse themselves in an undersea
adventure. Through the use of VR, the
patients could explore a sunken wreck with
beautiful fish circling overhead whilst an
enormous whale passed by. The colours
were so vivid, and the experience so joyful,
that one resident joked that it was almost
worth being admitted to the hospice to have
the experience.
The initial virtual reality taster was run by
Billy Agnew, Founder of Viarama, the world’s
first virtual reality social enterprise. Viarama,
which is based in East Lothian, uses the
innovative power of VR as a force for good
within communities across Scotland. Billy set
up Viarama so he could focus on creating
unique VR experiences that would improve
the lives of senior citizens, school children
and young people. Billy is now working in
collaboration with Queen Margaret University
18
QMYOU / Health & Rehabilitation
(QMU) and St Columba’s Hospice on a
research project involving 20 hospice
patients. The project will look at the potential
benefit of VR with a focus on patients’ mood,
pain and stress levels, as well as overall
wellbeing.
Dr Erna Haraldsdottir is a Senior Lecturer
in Nursing at QMU and Director of Education
and Research at St Columba's Hospice.
Having observed patients at the taster
session she is now keen to explore the use of
VR in palliative care. She said: “The patients
loved it. They were thrilled by the experience.
One family member said it was the first time
her mother had smiled in months! It was
wonderful to see the immediate impact on
individuals.”
She continued: “The VR experience
essentially transports individuals to another
world, removing them from the reality of their
situation and absorbing them in a positive
experience. It’s liberating and exciting for
them to revisit a place that sparks happy
memories or to indulge in an activity that
once exhilarated them. It is exciting now to
progress to a research project to gather the
evidence of potential benefit.
“There is little evidence of VR being used in
palliative care, with no published research
which identifies its potential in this important
area of healthcare. We now need to establish
the facts with more in-depth research to
understand the immediate effects and the
possible longer term impact on wellbeing and
physical health. We are particularly keen to
learn if VR sessions have the potential to
alleviate symptoms in patients receiving
palliative care, such as pain and anxiety
levels.”
For five out of the six patients who
experienced the taster session, choosing to
visit their ‘happy place' or doing a favourite
activity was a very positive experience.
However, one patient was tearful at the
end of the session, following the realisation
that she would never be able to revisit her
favourite place in person ever again. Despite
this, the following day, she reported that the
experience had helped her come to terms
with her current situation as she approached
the end of life.
Billy Agnew said: “Viarama is delighted to
be, once again, working with St Columba's
Hospice and QMU. We look forward to giving
many more hospice patients in Scotland the
opportunity to enjoy the best VR experiences
available, whilst exploring and measuring the
many ways in which we believe VR helps
people receiving palliative care".
Dr Haraldsdottir concluded: “QMU and
St Columba Hospice are passionate about
developing person centred palliative care and
are delighted to pioneer this ground-breaking
research project with such an innovative
social enterprise.
“Thanks to a grant from the Margaret
Murphy Charitable Trust and generosity
from Viarama, St Columba’s Hospice and
QMU are excited to introduce a group of 20
patients to the exhilarating world of virtual
reality at such a significant stage in their
lives. This important research will help us
better understand the benefits of using VR
and identify future interventions which may
improve the quality of life of patients receiving
palliative care.” ❒