Embracing new technology
Residents in aged care facilities are embracing virtual reality (VR) technology to not only revisit places from their youth but to take part in hardcore activities like jumping out of airplanes or going on safari.
When Colin Pudsey began creating virtual reality programs for seniors, he thought they would want to walk through meadows and look at butterflies. So, he was bemused to discover their strong desire for adventure, including parachuting.
‘Their appetite is amazing and huge once they go on their first experience and then realise they can go anywhere in the world and do all these things that maybe they wanted to relive, or they never had the opportunity to do, or go to places they never had the opportunity to visit.’
Colin launched his company, SilVR Adventures, in 2019 with the aim of addressing isolation and loneliness among older adults. SilVR is now working with 48 organisations across Australia and New Zealand.
SilVR provides aged care facilities and health services with the virtual reality gear, training, and access to a bank of VR content. Residents don lightweight VR headsets to take part in a range of activities and experiences and, whilst they can choose to take part in a solo VR experience, Colin says the focus is on participating as a group.
Going on an African safari
‘You can have up to 40 people all going on an adventure together at the same time – going on an African safari, or whatever it is, and the magic happens when the headsets come off because people are talking about where they've been and what they've done, and they're sharing memories and stories from the past, which is amazing for social engagement and nurturing those relationships.
‘Social isolation is a big driver towards early onset of dementia and if you have dementia, then it’s actually accelerating those symptoms too,’ Colin says.
‘Even before COVID, about 50 per cent of older adults would suffer with feelings of isolation or loneliness or mental health issues. Nearly half of the residents in age care would never receive a visitor, so that’s not really a surprise.’
A trip down memory lane
The VR content has been created to be meaningful, rather than just entertaining. An integration with Google Street View means people can go back to places that are significant to them, such as a childhood home, a wedding venue or somewhere they used to work. SilVR has also created bespoke content for residents, including the experience of flying a plane for a couple of residents who were fighter pilots in their younger days.
Shorter experiences have been developed for residents with dementia and Colin says whilst some may not be able to talk about the session, it is clear from the emotion on their faces how much they enjoyed it.
There are also wellbeing sessions that include meditation or relaxing scenarios such as walking on the beach whilst listening to the waves breaking on the shore. Colin says feedback from facilities has shown this type of content has been helpful in calming residents who usually become agitated in the late afternoon as part of the phenomena known as sundowning.‘VR is very powerful and very emotional,’ Colin says.
SilVR is collaborating with a Victorian care provider and Deakin University on research into the benefits of virtual reality for people living with dementia.
Reviewed 14 November 2023