Victorian provider gets behind video game technology to enhance life for dementia residents

Melbourne aged care provider Lifeview has recently partnered with Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria to support their Virtual Forest Project, a sensory therapy application that uses video game technology to improve the quality of life for people with dementia.

Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria originally joined with Opaque Multimedia to head the project, which has become the first serious application of advanced gaming program Unreal Engine 4 in Australia.

Since becoming an official corporate sponsor of Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria, Lifeview Residential Care has inducted their residents and staff through exclusive trials that will assist the development of the Virtual Forest Project.

The trials have been underway since November and have already provided valuable feedback to Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria by conveying the thoughts, actions and overall demeanour of residents using the program.

Lifeview Residential Care CEO Madeline Gall said the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far.

“One gentleman suffers very severe dementia, with an attention span of no more than five minutes. We were able to hold his attention for 25 minutes using the Virtual Forest Project,” Ms Gall said.

“The staff were in awe at how calm he was, using the application with a huge smile on his face.”

Over 50 per cent of Lifeview’s seniors live with some level of dementia. On any given day they may experience one or more of the symptoms of their condition, including wandering, confusion, noise levels orientation and isolation.

The Virtual Forest offers a calming virtual environment that takes the person with dementia out of their everyday experience and into a virtual environment of wonder and amazement.

“Everyone deserves quality of life. Just because you have a diagnosis of dementia it shouldn’t be who you are and what you become,” Ms Gall said.

As part of the partnership between Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria and Lifeview Residential Care, Lifeview residents will gain exclusive access to the Virtual Forest Project once launched in late 2015.

It has also given Lifeview staff the opportunity to participate in dementia training at Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria’s Virtual Dementia Experience in Parkville, which also uses video game technology to allow participants to become immersed in the virtual world of someone living with dementia

Thirty staff have completed the training with 40 more to commence in the coming months. Ms Gall said the experience is part of an ongoing commitment to the education of their staff.

She said staff have already changed the way they care for residents living with dementia and are enormously enthusiastic about sharing their insights with other members of the facility.

“At this time, there is no cure for dementia, but we can certainly pursue efforts to improve quality of life for those already living with it,” Ms Gall said.

“Those little moments where residents have a smile on their face makes their day. That is priceless.”

Video: Alzheimer’s Australia national ambassador Ita Buttrose thanks Lifeview Aged Care for getting behind the Virtual Forest Project.