Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 poses an ongoing threat to lives around the world and challenges the existing public health and medical service delivery. The lockdown or quarantine measures adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has caused the interruption in ongoing care and access to medical care including to pat...
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doaj-c0e8c145d77d4ede87e81b27696caedd2021-02-16T05:02:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652021-02-01810.3389/fpubh.2020.635426635426Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 PandemicFabrizio Stasolla0Marta Matamala-Gomez1Sara Bernini2Alessandro O. Caffò3Sara Bottiroli4Sara Bottiroli5“Giustino Fortunato” University of Benevento, Benevento, ItalyDepartment of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa”, Center for Studies in Communication Sciences “Luigi Anolli” (CESCOM), University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, ItalyScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization, and Healthcare (IRCCS), Mondino Foundation, Pavia, ItalyDepartment of Educational Sciences, Psychology and Communication, University of Bari, Bari, Italy“Giustino Fortunato” University of Benevento, Benevento, ItalyScientific Institute for Research, Hospitalization, and Healthcare (IRCCS), Mondino Foundation, Pavia, ItalyThe COVID-19 poses an ongoing threat to lives around the world and challenges the existing public health and medical service delivery. The lockdown or quarantine measures adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has caused the interruption in ongoing care and access to medical care including to patients with existing neurological conditions. Besides the passivity, isolation, and withdrawal, patients with neurodegenerative diseases experience difficulties in communication due to a limited access to leisure opportunities and interaction with friends and relatives. The communication difficulties may exacerbate the burden on the caregivers. Therefore, assistive-technologies may be a useful strategy in mitigating challenges associated with remote communication. The current paper presents an overview of the use of assistive technologies using virtual reality and virtual body ownership in providing communication opportunities to isolated patients, during COVID-19, with neurological diseases and moderate-to-severe communication difficulties. We postulate that the assistive technologies-based intervention may improve social interactions in patients with neurodegenerative diseases and acquired brain injury-thereby reducing isolation and improving their quality of life and mental well-being.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.635426/fullassistive technologyneurodegenerative diseaseshealthcareCOVID19quality of lifecaregivers burden |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Fabrizio Stasolla Marta Matamala-Gomez Sara Bernini Alessandro O. Caffò Sara Bottiroli Sara Bottiroli |
spellingShingle |
Fabrizio Stasolla Marta Matamala-Gomez Sara Bernini Alessandro O. Caffò Sara Bottiroli Sara Bottiroli Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic Frontiers in Public Health assistive technology neurodegenerative diseases healthcare COVID19 quality of life caregivers burden |
author_facet |
Fabrizio Stasolla Marta Matamala-Gomez Sara Bernini Alessandro O. Caffò Sara Bottiroli Sara Bottiroli |
author_sort |
Fabrizio Stasolla |
title |
Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic |
title_short |
Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic |
title_full |
Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic |
title_fullStr |
Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Virtual Reality as a Technological-Aided Solution to Support Communication in Persons With Neurodegenerative Diseases and Acquired Brain Injury During COVID-19 Pandemic |
title_sort |
virtual reality as a technological-aided solution to support communication in persons with neurodegenerative diseases and acquired brain injury during covid-19 pandemic |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Public Health |
issn |
2296-2565 |
publishDate |
2021-02-01 |
description |
The COVID-19 poses an ongoing threat to lives around the world and challenges the existing public health and medical service delivery. The lockdown or quarantine measures adopted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has caused the interruption in ongoing care and access to medical care including to patients with existing neurological conditions. Besides the passivity, isolation, and withdrawal, patients with neurodegenerative diseases experience difficulties in communication due to a limited access to leisure opportunities and interaction with friends and relatives. The communication difficulties may exacerbate the burden on the caregivers. Therefore, assistive-technologies may be a useful strategy in mitigating challenges associated with remote communication. The current paper presents an overview of the use of assistive technologies using virtual reality and virtual body ownership in providing communication opportunities to isolated patients, during COVID-19, with neurological diseases and moderate-to-severe communication difficulties. We postulate that the assistive technologies-based intervention may improve social interactions in patients with neurodegenerative diseases and acquired brain injury-thereby reducing isolation and improving their quality of life and mental well-being. |
topic |
assistive technology neurodegenerative diseases healthcare COVID19 quality of life caregivers burden |
url |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2020.635426/full |
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