TranslateVirtual Reality comes to Indigo
20 April 2022
Virtual reality (VR) has made it to Indigo 😊!
While we could all do with a bit of an escape from the stresses and pressures of everyday life, this VR system will be used for a more meaningful purpose.
Indigo’s occupational therapist (OT) Mitchell bought the VR system from Rendever, which have placed their VR platform in 400+ senior living communities across the US, Canada, and Australia.The VR system is intended to be used to create a shared experience for aged care residents to reduce social isolation and promote connectedness.
Why a VR system? This is what OT Mitchell said,
“VR has always been a big passion of mine; it was the reason I originally chose to study OT. I got the Rendever system sent over partly out of personal interest but also because I believe it can provide a great improvement in the quality of life for many elderly people in WA. Research indicates social isolation can be as harmful to one’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. I’ve had enough first-hand experience of the impact social isolation can have on older individuals and their family members and want to do anything and everything I can to help improve the remainder of their lives.”
The affects and impact of social isolation, especially in older populations, here and globally has become a critically important area of concern for the health and care sectors, due to the on-going pandemic.
We look forward to seeing how the VR system is implemented and the good it will do, thank you for sharing your passion, Mitchell.
Videos of the Rendever system in action: