Virtual Reality Therapy: helping old people remember 虛擬現實療法幫助老年人回憶往昔

本集內容

學習要點

有關 “elderly people （老年人）” 的詞匯

邊看邊答

Who are the VR experience designers working with to make sure it is suitable for elderly people?

文字稿

These days, Bill Tolley is usually to be found in the garden of his care home. But back in the 50s, his favourite place to be was the dance hall. Now, thanks to virtual reality, he is going to relive that golden age again.

如今，比爾·托利經常出沒於看護中心的花園裡。但在五十年代，他最喜歡待的地方是舞廳。現在，虛擬現實技術將幫助他重溫那段黃金時代。

This is what’s called Virtual Reality Therapy. Bill has dementia and the hope is that this trip down memory lane will be a positive experience for him.

這就是所謂的 “虛擬現實療法”。比爾患有失智癥，人們希望這段追憶往昔的旅程對他來說將是一次積極的經歷。

Can you remember what you were like at that time?

你還記起那時你是什麼樣子嗎？

Bill Tolley, VR therapy user
I was raring to go everywhere.

比爾·托利 “虛擬現實療法” 體驗者
“那時候，我渴望去任何地方。”

And in many ways, Bill still is. The Marston Court Care Home in Oxford has been trialling the technology and found that it has had positive benefits for many residents. People like Betty.

在許多方面，比爾仍然如此。英國牛津的馬斯頓庭看護中心一直在試行這項技術，並發現虛擬現實技術對很多住在這裡的人起到瞭積極的作用。貝蒂就是其中一人。

Betty
That’s the church where I was married.

貝蒂 “虛擬現實療法” 體驗者
“我就是在那座教堂裡結婚的。”

Does that bring back memories of the day?

是不是讓你回想起瞭婚禮當天的事情？

Betty
Yes, I can remember what everybody was like. Many of them are no longer with us, of course.

貝蒂
“是的，我還記得每個人的樣子。當然，他們當中的許多人都已經不在瞭。”

Betty is a big fan of the technology.

貝蒂非常喜歡這項技術。

Betty
You think how can you do that, when I’m sitting here? But it’s beautiful.

貝蒂
“你會感嘆：我竟然能跑到那去，我明明坐在這裡！但這是一段美好的經歷。”

Did it trigger memories? Is that part of the fun of it?

這有沒有觸發你的記憶？能回憶往昔是其中的樂趣嗎？

Betty
Yes, yes. That could be, but some people might have bad memories, mightn’t they?

貝蒂
“是啊。可能是吧，但有些人也許有不好的記憶，對不對？”

So you’ve designed this to be comforting, but is there a danger that residents will find it disconcerting, disorientating or a bit confusing?

所以，你們設計的初衷是撫慰人心，但是否會讓使用這項技術的人感到不安、讓人迷失方向或感到困惑？

Arfa Rehman, Virtue Health
It’s really important when designing an immersive tech experience for people with dementia or elderly residents that you’re really tailoring it for their needs. We work really closely with care teams and people within the NHS [UK’s National Health Service] to make sure that we are designing something very user centric and that can be comforting, rather than confusing.

阿爾法·拉赫曼 Virtue Health 公司
“有一點非常重要：在為失智癥患者或老年住戶們設計沉浸式科技體驗時，根據需求進行定制是非常重要的。我們與英國國傢醫療服務體系的護理團隊和工作人員密切合作，以確保設計出的產品以用戶為中心，能撫慰人心，而不是讓人感到莫名其妙。”

Certainly for one resident, it seemed a rejuvenating experience.

至少對這位住戶來說，這是一次返老還童的體驗。