Non-pharmacological intervention
Short definition
A non-pharmacological intervention is any healthcare approach that does not use medicines, such as exercise, psychological therapies, cognitive stimulation, music or distraction, used on its own or alongside drug treatment.
In plain language
These are care strategies that do not involve a drug. They often accompany medication; at other times they are the first option, because they have few adverse effects. For example, in people with dementia and agitation, clinical guidelines generally recommend starting with psychosocial approaches before considering medication.
In practice, in an RVer session
Virtual reality is studied as a complementary non-pharmacological intervention. In RVer it is always used under staff supervision and does not replace medical care.