Clinicians at VA medical centers have deployed more than 700 in-home virtual reality mental wellness kits, including virtual reality goggles.
The initiative, supported by Healium, SoldierPoint Digital Health and VA Immersive, provides nonpharmacological tools designed to help veterans self-manage stress at home using “immersive media and real-time biofeedback or neurofeedback,” according to an April 7 news release from the VA.
The VR kits also include Honor Everywhere, a virtual tour platform that enables veterans to virtually visit memorials and historical sites, including the World War II Memorial and the USS Nimitz.
The deployment comes as veterans face high rates of stress-related conditions, with up to 1 in 3 veterans receiving care through the VA reporting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, along with higher rates of chronic sleep disturbances and anxiety, according to the release.
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