Using XR technologies (Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality) in areas such as healthcare is becoming increasingly common. In recent years, they have become a very important tool that helps to improve the quality of life of many people, such as the elderly.
Senior citizens have witnessed many technological advances, and many of them have entered their daily lives in a dramatic way. And immersive technology is no exception, but it can be very useful for the elderly: Virtual Reality has become the perfect ally to help them «face» everyday tasks that we all perform, though they might prove to be a real challenge for the elderly. For example: withdrawing cash from an ATM; travelling or making an appointment online to go to the doctor. Lack of proficiency with technology (tablets, smartphones), health problems, or the loneliness that our elderly often face make it very difficult for them to adapt to today’s society.
In ARSOFT we aware of the complications that the elderly may have in their daily lives, this is why we have launched the XR4OLD project with the aim of helping the elderly to achieve an active aging, to overcome the obstacles of today’s society and to improve their quality of life using Virtual Reality.
Through Virtual Reality headsets, the user enters a virtual universe and can perform any type of activity, such as changing the TV mode if the grandchildren have left the children’s channel on or placing items on a shelf.
Any situation in the real world can be transferred to the virtual one. All you need to do is put on a VR headset and enter the desired virtual environment.
The contents have been created thanks to ARSOFT’s EyeFlow platform. A solution that allows anyone to create Virtual Reality simulators without programming a single line of code.
The XR4OLD project has been implemented in the nursing home Centro Residencial Colisée de Alaraz, in Salamanca, with excellent results. Many residents have wanted to use the Virtual Reality headsets, and the experience, they explain, has been very positive. They assure that it is a way to get closer to other generations and emphasize the importance of this type of technology to learn how to manage in certain situations without depending on another person. Furthermore, thanks to Virtual Reality and specifically to the XR4OLD project, the elderly get to improve their level of mobility thanks to interactive experiences that increase their motivation for doing exercise, reducing the level of loneliness through immersive experiences, and improving their mental health.
Many thanks to all of you who attended the webinar!
This project has been financed by the European Union, the Social Services of Castilla y León and the Junta de Castilla y León. The project is also part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
