Introduction

Caring for a loved one with dementia at home brings moments of joy, challenge, and emotional intensity. As symptoms progress, it can become harder to keep your loved one engaged, calm, and connected to their surroundings. That’s where Reverie VR can make a profound difference. This gentle, immersive virtual reality tool is designed for people living with dementia—and it can become a valuable part of your daily care routine, enhancing emotional wellbeing and making caregiving more rewarding.

Why Routine Matters in Dementia Care

People living with dementia often feel more secure and calm when there is a predictable structure to their day. Familiar routines reduce confusion and anxiety. Integrating meaningful activities—like a calming Reverie VR session—into that structure supports emotional balance and offers a safe, stimulating form of engagement.

What is Reverie VR?

Reverie VR offers immersive 360° video experiences tailored to dementia care. These include relaxing nature walks, peaceful seascapes, and nostalgic locations that evoke positive emotions and calm the senses. The technology is designed to be simple and safe, allowing families to use it in the home setting without any technical experience.

How Reverie VR Enhances Home Care

Reduces Anxiety and Agitation

A five- to ten-minute session can help your loved one relax, especially during more difficult times of day—such as sundowning, mealtime transitions, or post-nap restlessness.

Encourages Communication and Interaction

Even if your loved one struggles to find the right words, VR often sparks non-verbal responses—smiles, pointing, or gestures—that promote connection. With the right prompts, it can even lead to storytelling and reminiscence.

Creates Joyful Shared Moments

Caring for someone at home can sometimes feel like a task list. VR offers opportunities to pause, enjoy each other’s company, and create gentle, joyful memories together.

Evidence Supporting Home Use of VR in Dementia Care

• Increased Engagement:
  A study in JMIR Serious Games showed that VR use at home enhanced cognitive stimulation and engagement for people with dementia, especially when guided by a family member (Appel et al., 2020 - games.jmir.org).

• Reduced Caregiver Stress:
  BMC Geriatrics research confirmed that immersive VR reduced agitation in dementia patients, easing the emotional and practical burden on home carers (Moyle et al., 2018 - bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com).

• Sustained Wellbeing:
  In Frontiers in Psychology, regular use of VR was linked to improvements in mood and emotional resilience in people with dementia, as well as their carers (Manera et al., 2016 - frontiersin.org).

Practical Tips for Using Reverie VR at Home

1. Start Slowly and Gently
   Begin with short 5–10 minute sessions and choose the most calming experiences—like nature or oceans—until your loved one becomes familiar with the headset and visuals.

2. Create a Comfortable Space
   Use a quiet, softly lit room with minimal distractions. Sit nearby and offer gentle verbal reassurance throughout the experience.

3. Choose Familiar Content
   Select scenes that reflect your loved one’s interests, hobbies, or life story—such as countryside walks, seaside views, or village streets.

4. Schedule Sessions at Helpful Times
   Use VR to prevent difficult behaviours. Try sessions after waking, before meals, or in the early evening when restlessness or confusion tends to increase.

5. Be Present and Observant
   Watch for smiles, changes in body language, or quiet engagement. Use these moments to ask simple, open-ended questions like:
   “What does this remind you of?”
   “Have you ever been somewhere like this?”

6. Involve Family and Visitors
   Share the experience with others, or talk about it afterward. This promotes a sense of inclusion and brings families closer together.

Benefits for Family Carers

• Calmer Home Environment: Reduced agitation helps create more peaceful days and evenings.

• Increased Confidence: You’ll feel empowered by having a powerful, gentle tool to support your loved one’s needs.

• Emotional Reconnection: Shared VR sessions offer precious, joyful moments that deepen your bond, even as verbal communication becomes more limited.

Conclusion

With just a small time investment each day, Reverie VR can become a trusted and uplifting part of your home dementia care routine. Its simplicity, flexibility, and emotional power make it an ideal companion in your journey—bringing peace, presence, and positive experiences into your daily rhythm.

Interested in learning more?

To learn more about how Reverie VR can transform your admissions process and improve resident outcomes, please contact our team for a personalised consultation.