Virtual reality is revolutionizing retirement communities, offering seniors a chance to relive their adventurous past and create new memories. 'It's about all the memories that it brings back,' says Sue Livingstone, an 84-year-old resident of The Terraces in Los Gatos, California. The community schedules VR sessions for its residents, many in their 80s and 90s, to don headsets and explore virtual worlds. 'We got to go underwater and didn’t even have to hold our breath!' exclaimed 81-year-old Ginny Baird after a VR session. The VR programming is curated by Rendever, a company that has turned virtual reality into a catalyst for better cognition and social connections in 800 retirement communities in the United States and Canada. 'It turns into a conversation starter for them. It really does connect people,' says Adrian Marshall, The Terraces' community life director. 'It helps create a human bridge that makes them realize they share certain similarities and interests.'
The VR technology can also be used to virtually take older adults back to the places where they grew up as children. 'It isn’t just about being able to see it again, it’s about all the memories that it brings back,' Livingstone said. 'There are a few people living here who never really leave their comfort zones. But if you could entice them to come down to try out a headset, they might find that they really enjoy it.'
Rendever, a privately owned company based in Somerville, Massachusetts, hopes to build upon its senior living platform with a recent grant from the National Institutes of Health that will provide nearly $4.5 million to study ways to reduce social isolation among seniors living at home and their caregivers. 'What really fascinates me about humans is just how much our brain depends on social connection and how much we learn from others,' says Rendever CEO Kyle Rand. 'A group of elderly residents who don’t really know each other that well can come together, spend 30 minutes in a VR experience together and then find themselves sitting down to have lunch together while continuing a conversation about the experience.'
While VR can help create social connections and potentially slow down the deleterious effects of dementia, it's important to use it cautiously and with purpose. 'There is always a risk of too much screen time,' says Katherine ‘Kate’ Dupuis, a neuropsychologist and professor who studies aging issues at Sheridan College in Canada. 'But if you use it cautiously, with meaning and purpose, it can be very helpful. It can be an opportunity for the elderly to engage with someone and share a sense of wonder.'
VR headsets may be an easier way for older people to interact with technology, and they can help build intergenerational relationships. 'The stereotypes that older adults aren’t willing to try new technology needs to change because they are willing and want to adapt to technologies that are meaningful to them,' says Pallabi Bhowmick, a researcher at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who is examining the use of VR with older adults. 'Besides helping them to relieve stress, be entertained and connect with other people, there is an intergenerational aspect that might help them build their relationships with younger people who find out they use VR and say, ‘Grandpa is cool!’'
However, controversy arises when considering the potential negative effects of VR on seniors. 'There is always a risk of too much screen time,' warns Dupuis. 'It's important to balance VR with other activities and ensure that seniors are not spending excessive time in front of screens.'
And this is the part most people miss... VR can be a powerful tool for seniors to connect with their past, create new memories, and build social connections. But it's crucial to use it responsibly and in moderation. What do you think? Do you think VR has the potential to enhance the lives of seniors, or do you see potential risks? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
