Virtual reality, or VR, is about more than just gaming these days.
From treating post traumatic stress disorder to allowing doctors to practice surgeries on virtual patients.
Homestead Manor Assisted Living in Denton is using VR to keep their residents’ minds stimulated and they’re getting amazing results. DelmarvaLife’s Maxine Bentzel stops by Homestead Manor to learn more.
Christine Harrington, Homestead Manor Administrator, says the idea came from her son, Jacob. He brought a pair of VR goggles to the facility in Denton and asked the residents to try them on. Resident Lois Barton loves roller coasters and has rode many throughout her life – but never from the comfort of her couch.
“It was a barrel of fun,” Lois says.
The results were inspiring. Christine says they have residents who do not respond much to other things, but as soon as they put the VR goggles on, they were looking around, talking more, and asking to go to different places.
Resident Vivian Meissner asked Jacob if she could see the Grand Canyon, so he made it happen.
“She just looks right at me and she just says Grand Canyon. I want to go to the Grand Canyon. And then everybody is just bawling,” Jacob says. “And I’m like guys she just wants to go to the Grand Canyon. I will get her to the Grand Canyon.”
Jacob can take the residents anywhere in the world they may request with the VR goggles.
“Some of our residents are going to places they’ve always wanted to go to but have never gotten there, and unfortunately they and their family realize that they’re not going to get there. So we’re taking people to the Grand Canyon, to Italy, to Rome,” Christine says. “It’s endless. It’s as endless as the Internet.”
The staff at Homestead Manor have noticed results last long after the goggles come off and Christine is hoping to purchase more goggles in the future.
