“It Really Brought me in, Zoned me in, and Kept me There”: A Qualitative Study Exploring Carers’ and Volunteers’ Experiences of a Narrative Based, Dementia-Focused Virtual Reality Film

Dementia is a growing global health challenge, with informal carers providing the majority of dementia-related care, and volunteers playing a crucial role in offering additional support. Both groups frequently report feeling underprepared to respond to the cognitive, emotional, and behavioural changes associated with dementia. Virtual reality (VR) offers potential as an immersive, experiential approach. This study explored carers’ and volunteers’ experiences of a co-created, narrative-based 360° VR film depicting the lived experiences of a woman living with dementia and her daughter. A qualitative exploratory design was employed. Twelve participants, comprising six informal carers and six volunteers with experience supporting people living with dementia, were recruited. Participants viewed the VR film using a head-mounted display and subsequently took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes were identified. (1) “I was in their shoes”: Stepping into the world of dementia, captured how the immersive first-person perspective fostered emotional engagement, empathy, and focused attention. (2) “It made me stop and think before jumping in”: Reflection and change in caregiving approach, described how this perspective-taking prompted participants to reflect on their caregiving responses and place greater emphasis on patience, autonomy, and enabling support. (3)“It’s so powerful, but it needs to be part of something bigger”: Application, limitations, and future potential of VR, highlighted participants’ views that while the VR film was impactful and memorable, its value could be enhanced through facilitated discussion, additional scenarios, and signposting to further supports. VR may offer a valuable experiential tool within dementia education for carers and volunteers. Findings emphasise the importance of embedding VR within structured, facilitated training approaches rather than using it as a standalone intervention. Further research is needed to examine longer-term impacts, scalability, and application across wider educational and practice contexts.