Can frail older adults safely try immersive VR?
Across four sites, 66 older adults (mean age 80.5) tolerated nature HMD-VR without side effects; 76% wanted to try it again.
Source
Older Adults With Cognitive and/or Physical Impairments Can Benefit From Immersive Virtual Reality Experiences: A Feasibility Study
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Can frail older adults safely try immersive VR?
These passages occur verbatim in the stored paper text. They support the points listed below; they do not verify every statement in the explanation.
66 participants; mean age 80.5 years.
Across all sites, 66 participants were recruited, had a mean age of 80.5 years
Average VR time 8 min; 76% viewed entire experience; 76% wanted VR again.
the average time spent in VR was 8 min and 76% of participants viewed the entire experience at least once
What they did
Exposed participants to 3–20 min of 360° nature video on Samsung GearVR and collected pre/post surveys, observations, and interviews.
What they found
All completed the session; mean VR time ~8 min; 76% watched the full experience at least once and 76% wanted another session. Mood shifted toward more relaxed/energetic and less anxious.
The limits
What it doesn't show
Single-session feasibility, not a powered trial of lasting depression/anxiety treatment or home/community settings.
Key terms
- HMD
- Head-mounted display used to deliver immersive VR.
- Immersive VR
- 360° video experienced through an HMD rather than a flat screen.
- Feasibility study
- Tests whether an intervention can be delivered safely and acceptably.
- LTC
- Long-term care residences where mobility and isolation are common.
- Cybersickness concern
- Expected dizziness/disorientation; none reported here.
- Cognitive impairment
- Mild–severe deficits present in just over half of recruits.
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Sample size was:
Common questions
Sample size?
66 participants across four sites.
Side effects?
None reported (no dizziness/disorientation/hearing-aid interference).
Want VR again?
76% said yes.
Mean age?
80.5 years.
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