"Within a matter of minutes, the headsets can transport them to Europe, immerse them in the ocean depths or send them soaring on breathtaking hang-gliding expeditions while they sit by each other. The selection of VR programming was curated by Rendever, a company that has turned a sometimes isolating form of technology into a catalyst for better cognition and social connections in 800 retirement communities in the United States and Canada."
"A group of The Terraces residents who participated in a VR session earlier this year found themselves paddling their arms alongside their chairs as they swam with a pod of dolphins while watching one of Rendever's 3D programs. "We got to go underwater and didn't even have to hold our breath!" exclaimed 81-year-old Ginny Baird following the virtual submersion. During a session featuring a virtual ride in a hot-air balloon, one resident gasped, "Oh my God!" Another shuddered, "It's hard to watch!""
The Terraces retirement community in Los Gatos, California, schedules VR sessions for residents, many in their 80s and 90s. VR headsets transport residents to Europe, beneath the ocean, and soaring hang-gliding or hot-air balloon experiences while they sit together. Rendever curated the VR programs and has deployed the technology in about 800 retirement communities across the United States and Canada. Residents reacted physically and emotionally, paddling their arms while swimming with dolphins and exclaiming or shuddering during aerial simulations. VR also enables virtual visits to childhood hometowns, offering first views in decades for some residents. The technology aims to improve cognition and strengthen social connections among older adults.
Read at Fortune
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