Provider Hartford Care has partnered with US-based tech company MyndVR to deliver VR therapies in its care homes across the South of England – the first launch of its kind in Europe.
MyndVR, an award-winning provider of VR-based therapeutic experiences for older people, uses lightweight immersive glasses from HTC Vive to deliver a library of content designed specifically for seniors, helping them to live healthier, happier lives, while addressing isolation and depression and offering engaging cognitive games.
Hartford Care has teamed with MyndVR in order to enable residents to travel the world, visit a street they previously lived on, relive old memories and continue to engage, learn, and explore, all from the comfort of the provider’s care homes. It will initially launch the therapies across ten of its homes, including Malden House in East Devon, West Cliff Hall in Hythe, and Hartford Court in Portsmouth.
Hartford Care chief executive Kevin Shaw said: “We want to be at the forefront of innovation in our industry and the use of virtual reality headsets in our homes is another ground-breaking initiative we’re extremely proud to establish. I’m looking forward to seeing the benefits this technology has for the residents in our homes, especially those living with dementia whereby research shows it can fight loneliness and alleviate anxiety.”
MyndVR CEO Chris Brickler added: “Partnering with Hartford Care is an exciting step as we continue to spread the benefits of MyndVR to our aging population around the globe. By 2030, 1 in 6 - or 1.4 billion - people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. The value and impact of virtual reality for the aging mind cannot be overstated. We look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful experiences to our aging population.”
