The main goal of the project is to make nature accessible to all through specially designed virtual nature experiences. There are groups in society who, for various reasons, cannot get out into nature. At the same time, there is a need, a demand and an increasing interest in Including nature-based interventions in social and health care, as a complement to institutional and pharmaceutical therapy and rehabilitation. The project will combine the latest VR/digital technology, multidisciplinary research and competence of care units and local nature entrepreneurs to jointly create innovative service models with natural environments and multisensory experiences to promote individual's health and well-being in a sustainable way.
The design of the virtual nature-based interventions, and in the future the entire service models, will be based on the collaboration between health and social care personnel, local entrepreneurs and researchers from 6 Swedish and Finnish universities in the field of Nature and Health. The interventions will, in the project, be used in 5 different client groups in Northern Sweden and Finland. The groups being: clients with developmental disabilities, eating disorder patients, patients in palliative care, lifestyle change clients (patients with diabetes type 2) and clients in elderly care. In all units the care professionals will be included in the interventions. In all groups the clients' mood and physiological response after the interventions will be evaluated and documented.
The aim is also to let the region’s health care providers get first hand experience in working with digital nature-based interventions. After the project, they will have the opportunity to use the newly developed service models and in continued collaboration with local VR and nature entrepreneurs, expand and improve them further.
Planned outcomes:
(1. Smart and sustainable growth, 1.1 Smart specialization, research and innovation)
University of Vaasa
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Umeå University
Luleå University of Technology
Wellbeing Services County of South Ostrobothnia, Eskoo Support and Care unit
Lifestyle Medicine Österåsen, Region Västernorrland
Hanken School of Economics
University of Helsinki
