I know it seems like it’s a contradiction: virtual reality and seniors. However, virtual reality is one of our residents’ favorite activities. Anytime we bring our Oculus headset to our communities, there quickly forms a line of residents excited to try it. They sit around and laugh with the resident that has it on, as they grasp at the air and talk about what they’re doing. Below are some of the top uses and benefits I’ve seen come out of using Virtual Reality with seniors.

Reliving Old Memories:

When I ask our residents with dementia if there is a place they want to go or see, they always have a response. Because of Youtube, basically, every location has been filmed with a virtual reality camera, so I can take them wherever they want to go. Sometimes it’s a vacation spot they went to for years, visiting from the time they were a small child to now. One time, a resident’s wife was visiting and they asked me to look up a specific beach on a Caribbean island. I searched it and put the headset on each of them. “Look! It’s the lady that sold margaritas!” the woman shouted. They both teared up as they relived some of their fondest memories together, telling me about their little piece of heaven they thought they’d never see again.

Gaining Physical Independence

One of the largest benefits I’ve seen from virtual reality is the ability of residents to experience things they would not be able to normally, given their physical limitations. One of my favorite videos to show residents is from the point of view of hand gliding of Yosemite National Park. “I’m flying!” they yell as they soar past thousand-foot waterfalls. One resident was particularly fond of race cars and enjoyed being put in a race car driver’s perspective. Because they also have cognitive limitations, physical limitations can be particularly difficult for people with dementia. Providing a space where they do not need to worry about their physical limitations is wonderful for residents.

Improving Cognitive Function

While there are a few favorite videos I like to show residents, much of what they watch are their own ideas. One resident was a cardiologist and he wanted to see the inside of a heart. While watching the video, it reminded him of the anatomy and functions of the heart. Many VR videos are educational as well. While residents are scuba diving, they’re learning about the biodiversity found in coral reefs. Some of the more shy residents will begin to open up about places they’ve been and hobbies they enjoyed because of what they have watched.

Pushing What Residents Can Do

The majority of our residents are living with dementia. When someone receives this difficult diagnosis, they typically think of what this resident cannot do. We are trying to switch the language and thinking to be centered around what our residents can do. Rather than write off the use of this new technology because our residents are an older population living with dementia, we’ve found that our residents are still curious and still excited to try new activities. The joy and wonder innate to the human spirit do not fade with a dementia diagnosis, and presenting new opportunities for residents to experience this joy should be at the heart of Memory Care.

Overall, virtual reality is one of the most undeveloped spaces in senior living. As time progresses, embracing new technologies will play a vital role in serving residents as best we can.