LOS GATOS, Calif. — At The Terraces, a retirement community in California, elderly residents rediscover their youth and embark on imaginative adventures through virtual reality (VR) technology. With VR headsets curated by Rendever, seniors can explore immersive environments like the ocean depths or revisit their childhood neighborhoods, fostering memories and shared experiences.
The use of VR technology aims to combat loneliness, allowing residents—often aged 80 and above—to engage socially and cognitively. During a session, participants swam with dolphins or took virtual hot-air balloon rides, exciting their imaginations and sparking joy. 81-year-old Ginny Baird exclaimed, We got to go underwater and didn’t even have to hold our breath! after experiencing a virtual marine adventure.
Many residents have reported that the VR experiences serve as conversation starters and opportunities for forming deeper connections within the community. Adrian Marshall, the community life director at The Terraces, noted, It helps create a human bridge that makes them realize they share certain similarities and interests. It turns the artificial world into reality.”
Rendever's technology also holds potential for mental health improvements; studies suggest it may help enhance cognitive functions and slow the effects of dementia. The company has recently secured a grant from the National Institutes of Health to explore how to reduce social isolation for seniors and their caregivers further.
Sue Livingstone, 84, expressed how VR allowed her to reconnect with her hometown for the first time in decades, emphasizing the powerful emotional impact these experiences create. It’s about all the memories that it brings back, she noted. VR offers seniors an accessible and engaging way to explore new horizons from the comfort of their homes, demonstrating the potential of technology to enrich lives at any age.
