3 minute read
Is this just fantasy?
Jo Fairclough takes a virtual journey beyond reality to find inner peace.
Gentle waves are lapping near my feet. Golden sand stretches up towards a distant row of palm trees and blue skies. I relax into my beach chair, almost feeling the warmth of the Mediterranean sun on my face. Almost …
No suncream needed today though – I’m thousands of miles from this idyllic location. I’m not even outside.
This is what’s known as augmented reality. The picture postcard scene is actually a 360 degree video, projected onto all four walls and the floor of a box shaped room at Aspen Wood, a low secure hospital for people with learning disabilities. The waves are a soundtrack - yet the relaxation is real.
Investment in immersive technology is taking people with mental health issues to ‘places’ where they can relax and be more open to their treatment. It’s invaluable for patients who may not respond to traditional therapies. More are asking to be immersed in a forest or at the edge of a river for their treatment session.
Clinical Director for Older Adult Services, Aravind Komuravelli, is clear how much difference this futuristic treatment is making.
“This type of therapy is incredibly effective in reducing anxiety. Its ability to evoke happy memories is especially effective for patients with dementia.”
“We see smiles of sheer delight all the time. It’s a joy to see people benefitting so much.”
“With the click of a switch, someone who loved going to a football match, for example, can be transported back amongst the crowd, cheering and singing. We see smiles of sheer delight all the time. It’s a joy to see people benefitting so much.”
It’s not all sunshine and mindfulness. Patients with a fear of the dentist can have a virtual appointment to help them prepare for a real life appointment in an actual dental clinic. After long periods in hospital, simple things like crowded cafés, supermarkets and busy roads can be scary. All can be recreated here. In the safety of the immersion room, a therapist can start to look at what triggers someone’s fear and find solutions.
Lead speech and language therapist Rosie Murray supports patients who struggle to make sense of the world around them. “After an intense therapy session they can use the room to release stress, so they go back to the ward feeling relaxed and positive. It’s amazing how sitting on a beach can make you feel better –even if it isn’t real.” I couldn’t agree more.
