Virtual reality technology is being introduced into Australian nursing homes to help residents ‘escape’ from where they live.
After COVID-19 isolated residents of the home for the past two years, the project “changed everything” and is expected to be used in more elderly care centers.
In the dementia ward of one of Australia’s nursing homes, the residents are transported to a whole new world.
From witnessing incredible views of coral reefs on the Great Barrier Reef, to walking the streets of London, England or Germany.
Virtual reality technology aka virtual reality used to make it happen, as well as to help the elderly relive their memories, as experienced by Jean Stoneman.
“This is very easy. Germany is a nice country to visit, it has lots of great shops, it’s very beautiful,” he said.
The experience brought happiness to the manager of the Arcare Aged Care Residence, Vicki Cain. He said, “It’s great to see people reconnect with their memories.”
According to Cain, the new technology has become a much-needed escape for the residents of the orphanage after undergoing isolation for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We really didn’t expect to see the results in people with dementia, it might have changed everything for us,” he added.
Leonie Sanderson, the project coordinator, agrees with Cain.
“I think that experience gives people who are more or less trapped during lockdown or isolated from their family and friends the feeling of still being able to enjoy the world,” he said.
The project was made possible thanks to a philanthropic grant fund led by the Queensland University of Technology.
After successful trials in three nursing homes in Queenland, the university is planning to expand the project to the state of Victoria and they have published an online toolkit for other nursing homes to replicate.
Evonne Miller of the Queensland University of Technology Design Laboratory said, “Actually, nowadays Virtual Reality isn’t used that much by people, that’s why it feels good when older people say ‘I’ve done something you haven’t done yet. loh.’” [rd/jm]
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