Vanquishing Apathy Through E-inclusion Using Realistic Virtual Environment Project

Summary

Virtual environments and information communication technologies (ICT) offer large perspectives in the field of assistive care and rehabilitation.

As potentially endless, the scenarios and environment used using 3D can provide immersive social and interactive context for enjoyable and therapeutic exercises in the aging population. In addition it is also possible to use this type of serious game and scenario in very easy to use devices such as lap top or tablet.

Social exclusion has many causes, Apathy as one of the most common behavioural disturbances found in old adults populations alters significantly social and emotional interaction.

Even though, progress in VR has been made over the past year, the presence of such technology in daily living space is still at the embryonic stage.

The European e-Inclusion policy stresses the importance of ICT in improving the quality of life in potentially disadvantaged groups, including older people and persons.

The VERVE project is developing ICT tools to support the treatment of people who are at risk of social exclusion due to apathy associated with a disability.

As people aged and autonomy worsen fear for safety and comfortable means to maintain social and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) status are public health issues.

Moreover, even though older adults would like to perform some activities such as walking in the streets some are reluctant to go out of their homes as the external environment is perceived as potentially unsafe.

Apathy, the most common behavioural symptoms in aging population is characterized by symptoms of reduced initiation and responsiveness to environmental interactions. The syndrome of Apathy takes form of diminished goal-directed behaviour, characterised by emotional blunting, loss of initiative and loss of interest. Apathy along with the nosological characteristics of dementia induces impairment in autonomy level and therefore dependence as cognitive impairments worsened.

The importance of stimulation could be related to the concept of engagement defined as the act of being occupied or involved with an external stimulus. Engaging older person with or without Alzheimer's disease and related disorders in appropriate activities has been shown to yield beneficial HRQL effects such increasing positive emotion, improving cognition, functional autonomy and quality of life.

Accordingly, enriched environments with high definition virtual representation of cities and activities of interest have the potentials not only to encourage patients to get active in a safe and interactive environment but also to create access to enjoyable and stimulating settings for the more severe patients.

The VR setting from VERVE proposed personalised and populated environments available on two different, but interlinked hardware platforms: 1/: standard gaming set-up in the home, nursing home or day hospital therapy group; and 2/ mobile tracked internet devices (e.g.,IPad). The system will ensure maximum openness and dissemination by using 3D Web technologies.

Conditions

• Alzheimer's Disease

Interventions

OTHER

The training by Verve System

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Philippe ROBERT, PU-PH · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

• Renaud DAVID, PH · CHU NICE

• Guillaume SACCO, PH · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

• Jean Michel TURPIN, PH · Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

60 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2013-05-31

Primary Completion

2014-09-30

Completion

2014-09-30

Countries

• France

Study Locations