BOSTON, Aug. 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rendever, a virtual reality (VR) platform built to help seniors overcome social isolation through shared experiences, today announces that it has been awarded a $2M Phase II Grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant will fund a registered multi-site clinical trial, in conjunction with the University of California Santa Barbara, to further Rendever’s continued research on the effects of VR on seniors. The research evaluates the impact of VR-based virtual family engagement for seniors and the differences in effect across various levels of cognitive impairment (MCI, mild to moderate AD/ADRD).
The Phase II Grant builds on Rendever’s previously awarded Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I Grant to measure the impact of Rendever’s engagement platform. The initial pilot data confirmed the positive impact that virtual family engagement has on both residents and their family members living at a distance. Residents experienced decreased negative emotions and feelings of isolation, increased positive emotions and engagement with their family members, and overall improved quality of life. Family members reported similar mental health benefits along with significant decreases in caregiver guilt after using Rendever’s VR platform with their loved ones.
“We see the first-hand effects of our virtual reality platform every day through our community partners. We’re trailblazing toward a future in which communities thrive beyond the four walls of the physical building. This clinical trial is truly the first of its kind, and will help us continue to push the boundaries of what we think is possible through VR,” said Kyle Rand, Cofounder and CEO of Rendever. “The future of the industry will be enabled through technology that not only builds thriving communities, but also maintains the important social connections that exist before a resident moves in. We are incredibly grateful for the hard work and enthusiasm that is going into this study, and are eager to officially launch Phase II.”
Technology-enabled family engagement has major implications for the future of the industry, and the role that innovation plays to both empower thriving communities and increase family satisfaction during and after the move-in process. The Phase I results showed that both residents and family members reported feeling significantly more satisfied with their family relationship and more emotionally close with their loved ones following the series of VR sessions.
“With the Phase II Grant from the NIA, we’re expanding on the data previously collected,” said Tamara Afifi, Chair of the Department of Communication at the University of California Santa Barbara and one of the principal investigators on the project. “The team will be collecting data from more senior living communities in an experimental, longitudinal design to assess the long-term impact on families. This randomized clinical trial will also enable us to provide a rigorous scientific test of virtual reality’s impact over standard modes of communicating (for example, video chat).”
The data collection is expected to be conducted through the end of 2022 and the study will include approximately 400 participants in 12 senior living communities in the greater Boston area and central California. With uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic, the team is also prepared for remote collaboration for safety purposes as needed.
For more information on Rendever, visit www.rendever.com.
About Rendever
Rendever is overcoming social isolation through the power of virtual reality and shared experiences. From senior living communities to hospitals, their platform is being used to reduce depression and loneliness by fostering personal connections amongst populations where life has become limited. Participants in group sessions can check off bucket list items together, revisit meaningful places and share stories, stay engaged with family members, and more. Rendever is being used by high-profile senior living operators including Revera, Benchmark, and SRG, healthcare systems such as UCHealth and Cleveland Clinic, has research funded by the NIH and NIA, and has commercial partnerships with major organizations like AARP and Verizon. To learn more, please visit www.rendever.com.
Media Contact
Elsa Anschuetz
Uproar PR for Rendever
eanschuetz@uproarpr.com
321.236.0102 x233
