Multisensory Virtual Reality Reminiscence Therapy: A Preliminary Study on the Initial Impact on Memory and Spatial Judgment Abilities in Older Adults

Abstract

With advancing medical technology and the rise of an aging society, the global population of dementia patients is increasing. Dementia is an irreversible degenerative disease that leads to a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, including memory, spatial judgment, time perception, and language skills. Despite the availability of medication to alleviate symptoms, a complete cure is unattainable, and treatment can only delay disease progression with limited effectiveness. Recent literature explores non-pharmacological treatments for dementia, including reminiscence therapy, and investigates the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as a therapeutic approach. Unlike traditional methods, VR technology can create realistic virtual environments, enhancing sensory and cognitive experiences. Related studies have explored the combination of visual and auditory experiences in the VR environment, incorporating sensory stimuli such as touch and smell to enhance the sensory and cognitive abilities of older adults. Previous research indicates that combining multiple sensory stimuli can enhance memory and spatial judgment abilities. Therefore, the present study focuses on developing a VR game that integrates multiple sensory stimuli to investigate its impact on the memory, spatial judgment, and time perception of older adults. To achieve this goal, the research team invited experts to develop a VR game with multiple sensory stimuli, combining visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory elements, with a theme centered around agricultural life. We conducted in-depth discussions on multi-sensory experiences, and preliminary feedback was obtained through interviews with elderly participants and observations by experts. Experts found that the nostalgic therapeutic farming game that combined VR technology and multiple sensory elements resulted in better performance of older adults in task judgment and memory retrieval. Despite the limited number of participants and this study's short training period, future comprehensive experiments and long-term observations are necessary to obtain more substantial evidence.

Keywords: Dementia, Virtual Reality, Multisensory Stimulation, Reminiscence Therapy, Memory, Spatial Judgment Ability, Time Perception

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004984