What Is Virtual Reality and Why Are Aged Care Providers Embracing It?

By Colin Pudsey

If you’ve been looking at ways to encourage your elderly loved one to consider moving into an Aged Care residential facility, then knowing that “virtual reality” is at hand could be your best advocate. An increasing number of residential providers are embracing this technology for its many benefit.

Aged Care providers are always looking at ways to support their residents, and Virtual Reality does just that. As many of you haven’t yet heard of or understand what ‘Virtual Reality’ is, then you will find this article very interesting and eye opening. If you’ve ever seen pictures of people wearing headsets and waving their arms about, they are probably enjoying the VR experience.

What is virtual reality, or VR, and why is it making such an impact in the aged care space?

Immersive beyond belief

Virtual reality is a simulated environment that looks and feels incredibly realistic. A key tool for using VR, is the headset. This allows you to explore this digital space by looking up, down and all around you. Unlike a computer or tablet which has a fixed field view, virtual reality adapts to your head movements. This immerses you in a rich 360-degree, 3D environment.

This means that putting on a virtual reality headset feels like stepping into a completely different world. But the big question is, what can you do in this immersive virtual space?

The impossible becomes possible

Anything you can imagine! For the adrenaline seekers, how about skydiving, swimming with dolphins, or racing in an F1 car? For those looking for a calmer escape, maybe chilling out on the beach, exploring a tropical rainforest, or visiting a museum?

The technology is limitless, and it can even allow us to experience things that are impossible. A trip to mars perhaps? Or walking around the interior of the Titanic? VR can make that happen too.

That all sounds fun, but we’re talking about older adults here. Why would care providers be so keen to take their care recipients out of the four walls of a facility (virtually)?

Virtual experiences with clinical benefits

The answer lies in research, and whilst these experiences are certainly fun for all ages – they’re anything but frivolous.

Virtual reality experiences have been shown to improve the quality of life in older adults.

Participants in an American study were “less socially isolated… less likely to show signs of depression” and “feeling better about their overall wellbeing”. Another study from Taiwan revealed that VR “can provide older adults with the confidence to get involved in social activities”.

So, it’s clear that VR can have a range of positive impacts on care recipients. But the most exciting benefits of all, are linked to who we are as individuals.

A personal journey

Imagine being able to visit a childhood home, a church you were married in or a place you went on holidays with your family? For those of us born overseas, what about taking a journey back to experience familiar sights and sounds, and reconnect with your culture? Maybe a faith-based pilgrimage or personal spiritual practice?

VR is at its best when it’s partnered with a deep understanding of the individual and what’s important to them. That’s how innovative care providers are getting the most out of VR.

By building upon their strong connections with the individual, carers can deliver meaningful personalised experiences that leverage the power of VR to connect to identity.

For all walks of life

No matter what stage of life an individual is at, virtual reality may provide engagement, excitement, and an opportunity for connection.

Particularly for those of us supporting a loved one with dementia, as VR has been shown to “positively affect the cognitive and physical functioning of those with mild cognitive impairment or dementia”.

And what could be more important for someone living with dementia, than to reconnect them to their true self, their culture, and their loved ones. Now we’re really pushing the dial with “joy”!

Sometimes what’s important, isn’t a clinical benefit…

Going beyond the clinical

What is immediately apparent when you try on a VR headset is that it’s like magic. Whilst there may be benefits in wellbeing and cognitive function, it’s an experience to bring wonder, enjoyment, and positive emotions and this can be supercharged when sharing the same experience in a group VR setting.

Any tool that can help bring significant and measurable joy, happiness, and excitement to the life of care recipients is one that’s worth exploring.

Ultimately, that might be the driving factor in the growing use of VR in the aged care space, a growth that’s led by innovative companies.

Changing Lives through Virtual Reality

Melbourne based virtual reality startup, SilVR Adventures, has been taking care recipients on shared virtual reality experiences since 2019.

Providing a turnkey VR solution to care providers across Australia and New Zealand, they enable care team members to take people with a variety of needs on immersive, group VR experiences.

“Our content focuses on storytelling, emotional journeys and reminiscence therapy”, said Colin Pudsey, CEO of SilVR Adventures. “We want to build engaging and inspiring experiences for older adults, no matter what stage of life they’re at.”

With the largest library of world tours, spiritual journeys, and bucket list events, they’re experimenting with new ways to engage care recipients. “But the real magic”, he says, “happens when the headset comes off.”

Creating meaningful connections

Colin explains that most powerful moments in working with VR are the social connections it stimulates.

“We’ve found that the winning formula is taking people on adventures together. They’ll have an amazing time travelling the world or experiencing something brand new. Then the headsets come off and they’re chatting about where they went, where they want to go to next and sharing memories and stories from the past. It’s incredible to watch!”

And it’s clear that aged care providers agree too. Some around Australia have established weekly ‘Travel Clubs’ to build camaraderie and friendship through shared experience across multiple sites.

“We’re super excited to be able to connect up to 40 participants around the world in a shared virtual reality experience, then have them meet in a digital space afterwards like our virtual café and chat about it”, says Colin.

The ability to link people couldn’t have come at a better time with restrictions and lockdowns significantly increasing feelings of isolation, loneliness, and depression among our elders.

The future of the technology

Virtual reality has made great strides in the past few years, but it still has an exciting journey ahead. With companies like Facebook and Google making big investments in the space, it’s clear that the technology will continue to grow and develop.

There’s room to grow in the personal care space too, with VR companies pivoting away from residential facilities and, beginning to offer services to be used in home care too, Colin explains:

“So far there’s nothing on offer for people in the home. That’s why SilVR Adventures is thrilled to be launching our home care solution in 2021. We’ll be able to support older adults ageing in place with enhanced connections and deliver meaningful virtual adventures, in their own home. That’s something to get excited about.”

A rich and incredible virtual world

As we head towards 2022, there is still a lot of uncertainty. Whatever happens, it’s clear that we need to find new ways to stay connected and engaged. That couldn’t be truer for those of us receiving care.

Leading aged care providers around Australia are increasingly turning to the immersive power of VR. It is a potential tool for reducing isolation, improving wellbeing, and strengthening connections.

Very soon personal carers in the home will be taking this technology for a spin too.

SilVR Adventures provides meaningful virtual reality experiences and activities to improve mental wellbeing. More details, please contact:
1300 192 552
sales@silvradventures.com.au
www.silvradventures.com.au