CEO of Loch Lomond Villa Cindy Donovan (Photo Credit: Kevin Worrell CHSJ News)
Loch Lomond Villa in Saint John is going to be involved with three research projects for seniors with the help of two universities, UNB Saint John and Universite de Moncton, the Centre for Aging and Brain Health Innovation ,(Baycrest in Ontario) and the New Brunswick Health Research Foundation.
One of the projects involves 3D/Virtual Reality and will see a 27 by 17 foot 3D screen installed in a Dementia area and seniors who have consent will be shown a series of videos.
Cindy Donovan is the CEO of Loch Lomond Villa and says one video is a dance with music that seniors can relate to and puts them right on the dance floor.
“Quite remarkable what the innovator has designed because it is, it’s like you are right there in the room with them, they are videos that have been tested for seniors,” stated Donovan.
Four hours after the videos have been shown the senior will be monitored to see how it may have had an impact on them.
The other projects are ABBY which is an interactive screen which will show videos or photos that have been submitted for example by family members and stimuli will be measured.
The last is called Routinify and has a tablet put in the seniors room to remind them to take their medication, or remind them their favourite TV program is coming on soon.
Donovan says they are doing this without any government funding with all the proponents pitching in matching funds including Loch Lomond Villa for a total of just under $800,000.
