Virtual Choirs in Care Homes: A networked XR therapeutic singing intervention to improve mental health

合唱已经成为一项与改善心理健康相关的流行活动，据报道，2017年英国有210万人参加合唱团唱歌，合唱团越来越多地被用作改善福祉和生活质量的治疗干预措施。然而，还有一些社区无法获得集体演唱干预，这些干预在时间表、空间、旅行、获得合唱团协调员方面可能成本高昂，而且受到限制。在新冠肺炎期间，虚拟合唱团变得流行起来，为面对面的活动提供了一个“总比没有好”的解决方案。这不仅强调了集体演唱对心理健康和福祉的重要性，也强调了倾听和贡献合唱团沉浸式声音的重要性，这是活动的一部分，超越了随之而来的社交互动。到目前为止，还没有虚拟合唱团模型可以概括面对面集体唱歌的已知元素，这些元素使它如此有益和受欢迎：使用声音以及社区和社会机构的感觉共同创造音乐声音，这些感觉聚集在一起唱歌提供资金。该项目将开发一种多用户虚拟现实集体唱歌体验，使疗养院和痴呆症资源中心的居民能够像坐在真正的合唱团中一样参与集体唱歌活动。使用定制的预先录制的歌唱体验允许这是一种灵活和反应迅速的治疗工具，不受时间表要求的限制。护理之家的工作人员或志愿者将能够通过简单的远程设备(如他们的手机)连接到建筑内任何地方的居民佩戴的VR耳机，从而使他们能够通过对话进行社交联系，并沉浸在集体唱歌活动中。我们知道，通过与居民、他们的照顾者以及支持健康和社会护理组织的包容性伙伴关系和合作来塑造和开发有效的治疗干预措施。我们与合作伙伴阿尔茨海默苏格兰公司、克莱顿信托基金会、约克大学的合作方式，以及我们与苏格兰关怀和邓弗里斯以及加洛韦NHS健康和社会关怀伙伴关系的现有关系，确保了以居民为中心的设计解决方案的真正协作式知情方法。

Group singing has become a popular activity associated with improved mental health, with 2.1m people reported to be singing in choirs in the UK in 2017, and choirs are increasingly used as a therapeutic intervention to improve wellbeing and quality of life. However, there are whole communities who don't have access to group singing interventions, which can be costly and restrictive in terms of timetabling, space, travel, access to choir facilitators.During Covid-19 virtual choirs became popular and provided a 'better than nothing' solution to the in person activity. This highlighted not only the importance of group singing to mental health and wellbeing, but also emphasised the importance of hearing and contributing to the immersive sound of a choir as part of the benefit of the activity beyond the social interactions that come with it. No virtual choir model can yet encapsulate the known elements of in-person group singing that make it so beneficial and popular: the co-creation of musical sound using the voice and the sense of community and social agency that coming together to sing affords.This project will develop a multi-user virtual reality group singing experience that enables residents in care homes and Dementia Resource Centres to take part in group singing activities as though they are sitting within a real choir. Using bespoke pre-recorded singing experiences allows this to be a flexible and responsive therapeutic tool not constrained by timetabling requirements. Care home staff or volunteers will be able to run the application via a simple remote device such as their phone to connect to VR headsets worn by residents wherever they are in the building allowing them to be socially connected through conversation and be immersed in a group singing activity.We know that effective therapeutic interventions are best shaped and developed through inclusive partnerships and cooperation with residents, their carers, and supporting health and social care organisations. Our approach with our partners Alzheimer Scotland, The Crichton Trust, the University of York, and our existing relationships with Scottish Care and Dumfries and Galloway NHS Health and Social Care Partnership, ensures a truly collaborative informed approach for a resident-centered designed solution.