acm-header
Sign In

Communications of the ACM

ACM TechNews

VR Brings Joy to People in Assisted-Living Facilities


View as: Print Mobile App Share:
A nursing-home resident in Falls Church, VA, experiences virtual-reality nature scenes.

Virtual Reality is being embraced by an increasing number of long-term-care communities, which are turning to the devices to improve wellness and quality of life for this growing population.

Credit: Jahi Chikwendiu/Associated Press

Long-term care communities increasingly are using virtual reality (VR) devices and systems to improve residents' wellness and quality of life amid pandemic-related restrictions on visitors and activities.

Studies have documented the positive effects of the technology, with a 2018 field study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology finding that nearly 39% of assisted-living residents shown VR images related to travel and relaxation reported better perceived overall health.

Companies like MyndVR sell VR packages to senior-care facilities, while others like Embodied Labs use VR to train caregivers.

MyndVR's Paula Harder said, "Residents in our memory-care neighborhood have been observed to be more oriented to their surroundings...and even more coordinated in their speech and movement."

From The Wall Street Journal
View Full Article - May Require Paid Subscription

 

Abstracts Copyright © 2021 SmithBucklin, Washington, DC, USA


 

No entries found

Sign In for Full Access
» Forgot Password? » Create an ACM Web Account