VRCARE: Modernizing Healthcare Pedagogy with Virtual Reality for Interaction, Ethics, Stimulation and Sensory Training

<< Objectives >>Thanks in part to VRCARE, persons involved in healthcare can improve the quality of care they give to elderly and children. This because VRCARE's real-life scripts and VR scenarios are made by teachers and caregivers themselves to increase the teachers, students and caregivers understanding of ethical dilemmas caregivers face at work daily. Our aim is give students and caregivers a new way of interacting with and stimulating the elderly & children either during work placements or at work.<< Implementation >>Teachers and associated partners representing elderly and day care centers will write real-life scripts on ethics, interaction, stimulation and sensory training. These scripts will be made into VR scenarios that anybody with a pair of unprogrammed VR glasses can use when working with with elderly or children or when educating in the topics addressed in the scripts. The scenarios will be tested through pilots, implemented into existing courses and shared to others through active dissemination.<< Results >>The main tangible results are the VRCARE website, VRCARE Virtual Learning Environment and VRCARE Library, available in the 6 partners languages. Among intangible results we want to highlight the increased quality of learning and teaching, better cooperation between teachers and work mentors, a deeper understanding of ethical dilemmas and the importance of activation of especially elderly but also children. VRCARE will encourage teachers and caregivers to take advantage of what VR can offer them.