It has been a long time since I have made an update.
Suffice to say that my Father had a CVA event (Cerebrovascular Accident or Stroke).
I have since looked into white paper research concerning the uses of VR with regards to CVA. The results, though paltry at the time of writing, seem promising.
I live in Florida but I am Scottish. I flew to Scotland on short notice in order to visit my Father and to discover how I may help both him and others with this condition.
My impressions are thus:
* Life in a CVA rehab center consists of routine. However it is SPORADIC routine and, thusly, not engaging (requires money)
* Others in the rehab center with more pronounced disorders tend to destroy the will of the ones who have a better chance at recovery (requires money)
* There is a profound sense of loneliness that is preventable by patient engagement (requires money)
* The general atmosphere is not conducive to quick rehabilitation because of the “routine”
* There is no engagement or development of the patients “needs or desires”, a factor that has strong roots in psychology (some patients egos are not conducive to this form of therapy!!!)
* The patient has a profound sense of frustration and helplessness in regard to their plight. They are trapped in their own body. Outwardly, there does not seem to be any plan for remedy to this predicament.
* The end-goal (i.e. getting to go home) is not clearly defined. This is natural, but not clear. Clarity is a must in this instance. Regimented planning indicates order. Order indicates a goal.
These are just the initial impressions. I could fill a book with what I have seen.
It is in the interest of medical science, software developers and indeed, in an encompassing sense, morality (which is innate in humans) to pursue the potential of virtual reality technology to help those who have been afflicted by this and other similar ailments.
There are many studies to be initiated. There is knowledge out there that should not be confined to the realm of academia.
In this age of information sharing, I find it literally horrifying that the things we humans share online are butt and breast sizes, along with our preponderance to vilify others who do not fit into a plastic mold.
In our time of “sue and counter – sue”, we should take a step back and realise our ignorance in reference to the plight of the cognitive unspoken.
Yes… I have a relative that has been stricken with something that will change the attitude of people towards him. This only affirms my pre-existing world-view that one should strive to understand plight before judgement.
With regards to VR being a tool to help people retain at least SOME of their dignity and independence, is it not our responsibility to pursue this avenue?
For now, I will just leave it at that.
Postscript:
People who have stated that there are inherent dangers in VR as it stands are NOT backed by any study.
Because there are no studies (of sigma level 4 at least)
I urge more research into VR capabilities for medical conditions, but I do NOT advocate the “rats in a maze” approach often condoned by certain “out of government” bodies.