A Comparative Usability Testing between a Web-based and Non-immersive VR Reminiscence Therapy for Persons with Dementia

Abstract

Reminiscence Therapy (RT) is a multi-sensory treatment that uses a combination of sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound to help persons with dementia (PWD) remember events, people, and places from their past lives. This non-pharmacological treatment allows for improving the quality of life, cognitive function, and mental health of PWD. This paper presents the perspectives of healthcare providers using a comparative study between a web-based RT application and non-immersive virtual reality (VR) counterpart to understand the limitations and opportunities of both platforms for facilitating increased engaging experiences for PWD towards recalling memories while easing the therapy process for the healthcare providers.