WVXU: VR headsets put caregivers in the shoes of those they are assisting

A new virtual reality training program helps caregivers navigate the trials and tribulations of caring for the elderly with experienceable scenarios.  

“Most of us are not trained in what to do,” about medication management or topics such as end of life conversations, says Ming Tang, director of UC’s extended reality lab.

Tang, an associate professor in the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, collaborated with the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) to design a virtual reality program that teaches the user how to navigate difficult situations before experiencing them firsthand.

Among the five scenarios in the training program, called EVRTalk, are end of life conversations. “It’s a very heavy topic,” that Tan says led to students developing a protype, evaluations and implementation.

In an interview with WVXU, Tan and program directors discuss the outcomes of this type of virtual training.     

Listen to the interview.

Featured photo courtesy of Unsplash.