Supporting Optimal Aging through the Innovative Use of Virtual Reality Technology

Although virtual reality (VR) technology has been implemented as a tool to address the health issues of older adults, its applicability to social connectedness is underrepresented in the literature, and less is known about its efficacy in this area in contributing to overall wellness and well-being...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sally Hughes, Kathryn Warren-Norton, Pat Spadafora, Lia E. Tsotsos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-09-01
Series:Multimodal Technologies and Interaction
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2414-4088/1/4/23
Description
Summary:Although virtual reality (VR) technology has been implemented as a tool to address the health issues of older adults, its applicability to social connectedness is underrepresented in the literature, and less is known about its efficacy in this area in contributing to overall wellness and well-being in later life. Expanding the VR possibilities beyond traditional entertainment purposes holds considerable potential for the older adult market. Technological tools have been employed in the elder health care field for many years, and cutting-edge developments such as virtual and augmented reality have begun to be used to facilitate optimal wellness in aging. Such technological advances have the potential to significantly impact one of the most important issues that older people face: social isolation and loneliness. This paper will serve as an introductory exploration of what is currently known about the use of virtual reality technology with an older cohort.
ISSN:2414-4088