Synopsis
Virtual reality is becoming increasingly popular as a treatment tool in rehabilitation. Growing evidence demonstrates its promise for a broad range of therapeutic outcomes and clinical populations. A variety of commercial and rehabilitation-specific systems are becoming more accessible to clinicians. However, despite generally positive attitudes toward VR, limited use of the technology in clinical settings is pervasive. Research suggests that therapists benefit from training and resources to support the integration of the technology into practice. This presentation aims to support clinicians in increasing their knowledge of VR literature, their understanding of barriers and facilitators to VR use, and their awareness of resources to support the application of different VR systems to meet the needs of their clients.
The objectives of this webinar are:
1. To provide an overview of the key features and uses of popular commercial and rehabilitation-specific virtual reality (VR) systems on the market
2. To present a summary of the evidence on the most highly researched systems relevant to paediatric rehabilitation
3. To highlight clinical tips for using these systems in practice
4. To discuss barriers and facilitators to VR implementation
5. To identify resources and supports for therapists interested in using VR
Presenters
Stephanie Glegg, MSc (RS), OTR & Sandy Tatla, MSc (RS), OTR
Sandy and Stephanie are occupational therapists at Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children. Sandy's research interests focus on technology use and motivation during rehabilitation and understanding clinician and client perceptions of technology use in this context. Stephanie's research interests lie in examining the factors influencing therapists' technology adoption and in the role of knowledge translation on this process. They have been using virtual reality in clinical practice for acute rehabilitation for several years.
