Virtual Reality for Caregiver Support

(VR-CARES Trial)

Recruiting at 5 trial locations

Overseen By Julia Bandini, PhD, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Rendever, Inc.

Disqualifiers: Seizures, Severe vertigo, Motion sickness, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

30 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

The VR-CARES project is an innovative, collaborative effort that invites dementia care professionals into the design process of a virtual reality platform seeking to mitigate their work-related burden and social isolation by cultivating a virtual community of support. The co-created, caregiver-specific VR platform will serve as a safe, communal space where caregivers can remotely connect with their peers, share fun experiences together, access support, learn self-care and build resilience within a supportive virtual network to enhance their social and mental health and job satisfaction. Central to VR-CARES in the principle of user-led innovation, ensuring that the technology not only serves but is informed and successfully adopted by the very individuals it intends to benefit, an important standard for empathetic and inclusive technology in healthcare.

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Inclusion Criteria

Employed by Right at Home and have at least one older adult client with Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer's Disease or Related Dementia

At least 18 years of age

Proficient in English

Exclusion Criteria

History of seizures, severe vertigo, or motion sickness

Unable to see images in the virtual reality headset

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline and Training

Baseline survey conducted and caregivers trained on the basic Rendever VR platform

4-8 weeks

Focus groups/interviews conducted

Platform Development and Familiarization

Caregivers use the basic Rendever VR platform while the VR-CARES platform is developed

4-8 weeks

VR-CARES Platform Use

Caregivers use the VR-CARES platform for virtual activities, training, and support groups

8 weeks

Weekly support group sessions

Follow-up

Participants complete post-project surveys and participate in focus groups/interviews

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• VR-CARES Platform

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Direct Care Worker Cohort Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Rendever, Inc.

Lead Sponsor

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Collaborator

Trials

1,841

Recruited

28,150,000+

RAND

Collaborator

Trials

145

Recruited

617,000+