Specially Appointed Professor Atsushi Hiyama of the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, the University of Tokyo, has collaborated with SOYOKAZE Co., Ltd., which operates a nursing care business for the elderly under the Soyokaze brand, to bring about the cognitive function that VR travel brings to the elderly. We conducted a demonstration experiment to clarify the effect of maintaining and improving "physical function".
The demonstration experiment is a VR travel program using a goggle-shaped head-mounted display with the cooperation of residents of "Classic Community Yokohama" (Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture), a serviced housing for the elderly operated by SOYOKAZE. was conducted for about 4 weeks, and the differences in "visual-spatial cognitive function" and "cervical spine (neck) range of motion" before and after were analyzed.The average age of the 24 subjects was 88.5 years old (9 men, 15 women).
As a result of the research, it became clear that VR travel brings out the improvement effect of "visual-spatial cognitive function" and "cervical spine (neck) range of motion" in the elderly. Visuospatial cognitive functions, such as the ability to recognize and find objects and faces, the ability to operate tools and equipment, and the ability to wear clothes, tend to decline with age and are a factor in dementia. Improving "visual-spatial cognitive function" may help maintain or improve cognitive function.
In addition, in the VR travel program using the head-mounted display used in the research, the movement of the neck was greater than in daily life, which improved the motor function of the "cervical spine (neck) range of motion". By improving the range of motion of the cervical spine (neck), it is possible to prevent injuries due to falls, which is one of the causes of nursing care in daily life, such as making it difficult to fall.From this, it is thought that it is also useful as training for elderly people's fall prevention.
In 65, the population of elderly people aged 2012 and over with dementia was 462 million, or 7 in 1 people. The Ministry of Labor's "Comprehensive Strategy for the Promotion of Dementia") has become a social problem.Under these circumstances, the improvement of "visual-spatial cognitive function" by VR travel clarified in this research may be useful for maintaining and improving cognitive function, which tends to decline with age.
From the elderly who experienced VR travel, "I never imagined that I could experience traveling in a facility during the corona crisis", The VR travel experience, which is restricted to going out due to the corona virus, is an extraordinary experience that can be felt on a real trip, and the psychological effect of enjoying the activity was also seen. .
The paper of this empirical analysis was held in Glasgow, England on March 2023-3, 12. It was announced at the conference "The Augmented Humans International Conference 14", and won the special award (Best Paper Honorable Mention) next to the Grand Prix.
