Help design a new Virtual Reality app for people living with dementia

Suffolk County Council Press Release

Suffolk County Council is looking for people to help develop a new Virtual Reality (VR) app for people living with dementia in Suffolk.

The county council is inviting people living with dementia, their family carers, as well as health and social care professionals, who live or are based in Suffolk, to join a user group to help co-create the bespoke platform.

The group will be called ‘Synergy’ and members will have input into all aspects of the look, design, and structure of the new VR app.

Over the last 10 years clinical research has demonstrated that not only do people with dementia tolerate virtual reality, but they can actually derive a wide variety of benefits from it, including improvements in well-being, cognition and communication.

The app is being produced in partnership with Spark Emerging Technologies Ltd, who were awarded a contract by Suffolk County Council in December last year.

It is only through using the knowledge and understanding obtained by people with lived experience of dementia that we can hope to make this new app as good as it can be. I urge anyone who is interested in helping to come forward now. The time you invest through this user group will help to create amazing outcomes for people living with dementia for years to come.

To learn more about the user group and to apply visit suffolk.gov.uk/care-and-support-for-adults/virtual-reality-project