Leader: Fabio Lucidi (SAPIENZA); Co-Leader: Roberto Baiocco (SAPIENZA)
Older's people mental health has for many years been neglected, and the promotion of mental health and well-being in later life has been the least visible area of activity. The WP aims, in a bio-psycho-social perspective to identify and act effective and innovative strategies to promote mental health and well being in later life minimising the costs of care and improving quality of life.
This policy brief outlines strategies to optimize cost benefits while maximizing the impact of VR-based physical activity programs.
Key Strategies:
VR-Based Exercise Programs and Motivation: Implement VR interventions focusing on motivating older adults for physical activity, leveraging the principles of Self-Determination Theory (SDT). These programs should incorporate interactive and engaging exercises, designed to enhance the most autonomous form of motivation (e.g., intrinsic motivation). This approach aims to foster a more personalized and enjoyable exercise experience, encouraging sustained participation and improving mental and physical well-being.
VR-Based Exercise, contact with nature, and more aware use of interactive technologies. These programs should promote outdoor life, incorporating the possibility for older adults to increase the frequency of their outdoor experiences, possibly in interactive situations, with other older adults. These experiences are designed to enhance cognition – more specifically, to facilitate attention focusing, categorization, and spatial navigation – and promote social interaction, increasing overall well-being.
Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluate the cost-effectiveness of VR programs and programs aimed at promoting contact with nature and more aware use of interactive technologies in reducing healthcare expenditures related to physical inactivity and mental health issues.
Accessibility and Inclusivity: Ensure VR programs are accessible to all elderly individuals, regardless of socio-economic status, and emphasize the importance of inclusion for LGBTQ elderly people. Recognize the unique challenges and needs of the LGBTQ community, particularly in the elderly demographic, and tailor VR experiences to be culturally sensitive and affirming. The findings of the systematic literature review that has been published in the first months of the present project have relevant policy and environmental implications for increasing inclusion and LGBT+-affirming physical activities and sports experiences. It is now well known that disparities exist between sexual and/or gender minority older adults and cis-heterosexual counterparts in physical activity. However, as far as we know, no previous literature review has investigated LGBT+ engagement in physical activity during aging. Overall, our results show that interventions are still needed to reduce health behavior disparities between older LGBT+ people and cis-heterosexual people, especially concerning physical activities and healthy and unhealthy habits. For instance, creating gender-inclusive restrooms, individual showers, or private changing rooms could make a safe place for sexual and/or gender minority people. The present project promotes a social change in sexual and gender stereotypes and prejudice to build a more inclusive sports environment where all sexual and gender minority identities can be free of rigid gender norms. This approach not only promotes a sense of belonging and respect but also addresses potential health disparities, thereby enriching the mental and physical well-being outcomes of the programs for all participants.
Partnerships: Collaborate with technology providers, healthcare institutions, and community centers to implement [VR] these programs effectively. Training and Support: Provide training for caregivers and staff in using VR technology, in implementing programs aimed at intensifying contact with nature and promoting a more aware use of interactive technologies, and offer ongoing support to participant.
Training and Support: Provide training for caregivers and staff in using VR technology and offer ongoing support to participants.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of VR programs and adapt them based on participant feedback and health outcomes
2. 3 scientific publications on mental health in ageing people, use of virtual reality to improve it (~M30),
3. end users’ guidelines about mental health and virtual reality (M34),
4. Laymen materials on mental health, with specific reference to sexual and gender minorities (M34).