Hong Kong stroke victims take a virtual journey to recovery

Virtual reality (VR) is helping stroke survivors in Hong Kong to regain confidence and the ability to perform daily tasks.

At Kowloon Hospital, people with cognitive impairments can practise crossing the street and shopping for groceries on VR devices without exposing themselves to danger.

Occupational therapist Dr Serena Ng Sin-wa was given an annual outstanding staff and teams award by the Hospital Authority in May for applying the technology.

Due to the brain damage that occurs during a stroke, survivors often experience difficulty in moving, thinking and communicating.

“Conventional treatments only have limited effects,” Ng, head of the Community Rehabilitation Service Support Centre, said. “Many patients still choose to stay at home all day after they are discharged, because they are too scared.”

To improve their quality of life, Ng’s team developed a series of VR programmes that simulate the environment of kitchen, supermarket, ATM machine and MTR station.