The future of senior living activities is virtual reality
Interestingly, VR use in older adults helps combat the symptoms and development of Alzheimer's disease, which 50% of residents experience, according to the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. These impressive positive results also applied to senior motor control, balance, spatial waywardness and a host of other medical concerns.
The benefits are multiplied in residents who are bedridden or in wheelchairs by allowing them to relive the experiences of walking, skiing, swimming and other actions beyond their physical limitations. The power of instantly experiencing a wide range of new opportunities helps reignite residents' overall passions for life and mental engagement.
One of the most surprising discoveries is that VR provides twice the pain reduction as morphine, without any of the side effects of traditional pain medicine. In a breakthrough study by HIT Labs and Simon Fraser University, severe burn victims were given a snow themed VR experience during times of intense pain. Patients reported a 60% to 75% reduction in pain with VR sessions when using no painkillers compared with a 30% pain reduction when patients used only morphine.
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