BROOKINGS – Brookings Health System Hospice now offers virtual reality therapeutic experiences for patients who face a life-limiting illness. 

“Hospice patients are frequently limited in their ability to travel or experience things on their bucket lists due to their disease,” Home Health and Hospice Director Lynne Kaufmann said. “Virtual reality programs can enhance quality of life by allowing patients to have virtual experiences from the comfort of their homes.”

Using a VR headset and a tablet, a hospice staff member or volunteer will stream one of more than 200 virtual experiences for a hospice patient. The experiences are designed specifically for older adults. Categories include travel, pets, nature, music/arts, learning and adventure. Patients can relive their favorite memories or do something they have always wanted to experience, like take a gondola tour of Venice, skydive through the Swiss Alps or road trip down Route 66. 

The VR therapeutic program provides stimulation to people who may be confined at home, empowering end-of-life patients with the ability to choose what they want to do and to share experiences with others. VR can also be an effective method of distraction therapy and has the potential to decrease pain and anxiety or feelings of fear and isolation.

The VR program is made possible by charitable donations to Brookings Health System Foundation’s Hospice Fund.

“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Foundation is enabling our hospice team to use technology in a creative way to help our patients who are home bound and facing end-of-life,” said Foundation Director Sara Schneider.

Brookings Health System Hospice guides patients and their families through end-of-life. Local, familiar faces deliver compassionate care, provide comfort, and focus on quality of life with the time remaining to give patients a peaceful and dignified death. For more information on hospice care, including how to volunteer for or donate to hospice, visit brookingshealth.org/Hospice.