Virtual Reality to Stimulate Cognitive Behavior of Alzheimer's and Dementia Patients

Seniority and Alzheimer’s and dementia’s diseases lead to progressive cognitive impairment. The exploitation of Virtual Reality is investigated to test innovative entertainment and therapeutic activities that can provide new stimuli and interests for patients. The game approach activates mechanisms able to train memory and energize the mind through visuospatial and sound inputs. A full-immersive application has been developed to allow the patient to perform this kind of experience at home for daily training, becoming short therapeutic cycles, thanks to the affordability, the transportability and the flexibility of the infrastructure put in place. The cognitive path foresees successive levels of interaction, alternating relaxing and inspiring settings and exercises. It can improve the quality of life by learning to manage and monitor actions and feelings. In this way, these kind of experience can generate positive benefits not only for those who show fragility, but also for their families in addition to a tool to support health workers for diagnostics and training.