The concept of virtual reality (VR) is not a new one. We’ve seen it in movies and science fiction stories for years. But it’s only been very recently that VR has been readily accessible to the average person. The Oculus headset from Meta has catapulted virtual reality into millions of homes around the world, creating all sorts of new questions about how this technology will impact our lives.
It even has a place in the senior care community. In fact, some providers are using VR to help with therapeutic treatment for elderly. Some of the care services that are employing this technology have stated that the goal is to help seniors by allowing them to interact with the world around them in a new and meaningful manner with the hope of promoting health and wellness.
From a therapeutic standpoint, VR can allow seniors to do things that watching something on a phone or television screen can’t quite accommodate. VR makes it seem like you are actually there, immersed in the virtual surroundings. While it is certainly possible to do a physical therapy program over Zoom or a YouTube video, being immersed virtually in the program is a more complex feeling. The potential of this kind of treatment is still being explored.
VR isn’t just for entertainment purposes, although there are quite a few headset games out there. There are people out there using VR for other purposes. Business meetings can be held through virtual reality, hands-on trainings and educational classes have been conducted, and, of course, people can socialize in a new way with this technology.
Some care services are using VR headsets to help create experiences for seniors. Although it’s not quite the real thing, technology has evolved to a place where some things can be closely emulated using VR. Some services are using VR to allow seniors to go on tours of museums and other tourist attractions around the world. It’s a way to allow seniors to go out and see the world and have new experiences without ever leaving their homes. It is a unique use when it comes to the elderly, but one that classrooms around the world have already started to employ for educational purposes. It’s not a surprise that it would extend into this sphere, too.
There is also potential for those who suffer from cognitive decline or dementia. The safety of this has not been fully studied, however. While there is certainly the potential to help, there’s a lot of research needed ahead to confirm whether this is going to do more harm or good.
To be clear, this is not an endorsement or advertisement for using virtual reality, either in the senior care setting or for entertainment purposes. This is an explanation of something that is already happening within the care community and homes across the country.
What are your thoughts on care services using VR to enhance the experiences that seniors have? Is this something that you would be okay with if it was you or your family? Have you or anyone in your family used VR for purposes other than entertainment? Let us know below in the comments!
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