A US$3.8m grant will bring virtual reality into the homes of older adults ageing in place, with trials to build social connections and support carers.
Virtual reality places users in shared 3D scenes via a headset, letting families “travel” together or sit in a virtual living room while talking and reminiscing.
Mild cognitive impairment means thinking or memory problems beyond normal ageing, while dementia is a more severe decline that disrupts daily life.
UC Santa Barbara researchers are leading the study, funded by the US National Institutes of Health.
The team has worked for years with Rendever, first piloting headsets in a local senior community to test safety and feasibility for people with mild cognitive impairment or mild to moderate dementia.
That pilot led to a clinical trial across eight countries with 186 pairs of participants, comparing weekly sessions on Zoom with shared VR. Both helped relationships, and VR brought extra benefits, especially for participants with dementia.
Families could “visit” past addresses using Google Street View, tour landmarks together, or meet as avatars in a virtual lounge surrounded by photos and home videos, prompting reminiscence.
The new project brings headsets into private homes. Partnering with Right at Home, trained aides will set up sessions so clients at home can join group VR activities run by activity directors in senior communities.
Participants will first meet on Zoom to learn names, then reconnect regularly in shared VR spaces for outings, music or film nights, and visits to meaningful places.
“Our goal has always been to figure out how technology can help older adults thrive, despite cognitive and physical challenges.” said Tamara Afifi, professor of communication and co-lead of the project.
“Virtual reality isn’t meant to replace relationships — it’s a tool for relationship maintenance and social bonding.”
“The key difference in this study is that we’re using shared virtual reality to help older adults form authentic new friendships.” said Nancy Collins, professor of psychological and brain sciences and co-lead of the project.
“We know social connection is one of the strongest predictors of quality of life at any age, yet it becomes harder to maintain as you get older.”