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VRCT - Randomized Controlled Trial

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Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) are particularly difficult to manage in acute care settings, and often result in the use of pharmacological interventions and/or physical restraints which are associated with negative health outcomes. VR technologies become increasingly accessible and affordable, there is an opportunity to introduce this technology into acute care settings, however, to date there have been no systematic evaluations of the feasibility of using VR HMDs on hospitalized individuals with Dementia.

The objectives of this randomized-controlled trial is to investigate the clinical outcomes (impact on BPSD, Falls, Length of Stay), report on the optimal VR characteristics for this population, and to establish a framework for introducing non-pharmacological therapies in acute care hospitals.

For details regarding the methodology see our ClinicalTrials.gov registration (ID NCT03941119)

​Publications

  • Appel, A., Appel, E., Kisonas, E., Lewis-Fung, S. E., Pardini, S., Rosenberg, J., Appel, J. & Smith, C. (2023). VRCT: Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Impact of Virtual Reality on behavioral and Psychological Symptoms and Quality of Life of Acute Care Inpatients with Dementia. JMIR Preprints. doi: 10.2196/preprints.51758 

  • Appel L, Kisonas E, Appel E, Klein J, Bartlett D, Rosenberg J, Smith CN. (2021) Administering Virtual Reality Therapy to Manage Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Patients With Dementia Admitted to an Acute Care Hospital: Results of a Pilot Study. JMIR Form Res 5(2):e22406 doi: 10.2196/22406 URL: https://formative.jmir.org/2021/2/e22406

  • Appel, L. Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Bartlett, D., Klein, J., Rosenberg, J., and, Smith, C. (2020). Introducing virtual reality therapy for inpatients with dementia admitted to an acute care hospital: learnings from a pilot to pave the way to a randomized controlled trial. Pilot Feasibility Stud 6, 166. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-020-00708-9

  • Appel, L. Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Rosenberg, J., and, Smith, C. 13th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) November 4-7, 2020. Administering Virtual Reality Therapy to Manage Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Patients with Dementia Admitted to an Acute-care Hospital: Results of a Pilot Study. Journal of Preventative Alzheimers Disease. 2020; 7(S1):S55-S119. doi:10.14283/jpad.2020.58. PMID: 33169785; PMCID: PMC7772113. URL:https://www.ctad-alzheimer.com/files/files/CTAD%202020%20Abstracts%20final.pdf

  • Appel, L. Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Rosenberg, J., and, Smith, C. 13th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) November 4-7, 2020. Virtual Reality therapy for inpatients with dementia admitted to an acute-care hospital: Learnings from a pilot to pave the way to a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Preventative Alzheimers Disease. 2020; 7(S1):S55-S119. doi:10.14283/jpad.2020.58. PMID: 33169785; PMCID: PMC7772113. URL:https://www.ctad-alzheimer.com/files/files/CTAD%202020%20Abstracts%20final.pdf

  • Appel, L. Kisonas, E., Appel, E., Bartlett, D., Klein, J., Rosenberg, J., and, Smith, C. (2020).  Virtual Reality therapy for inpatients with dementia: Learnings from a pilot study introducing a non-pharmacological intervention to an acute-care hospital. Poster Presentations at the 10th Canadian Conference on Dementia (CCD) Québec City, October 3, 2019. Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 23(1), 4-87. https://doi.org/10.5770/cgj.23.411

Posters

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