Aging and loneliness are becoming a global epidemic. With more and more aging seniors experiencing isolation, whether it is physical, social, geographical or lingual, breakthroughs need to be made to improve the situation. Mon Sheong Home for the Aged took matters into their own hands to prevent their residents from being lonely. After exhaustive research, the staff at the Home came to partner with VR Vision Inc. (the parent company of Reality Well) and began their journey into virtual reality.

VR Vision Inc. is a cutting edge technology company, with a goal of helping organizations provide innovative, immersive and impactful experiences using virtual reality. Currently, Mon Sheong Home for the Aged is the only Chinese long-term care facility to partner with them. Together, VR Vision and Mon Sheong Home for the Aged are developing ways to use virtual reality as a way to help seniors become healthier and combat their loneliness.

The initial trial started in May 2018, after several months of visits from VR Vision and discovery processes, residents were able to try out the VR Vision beta Healthcare Platform for Virtual Reality experiences. The platform included 3D environments that allowed seniors to navigate several calming scenes. VR Vision also provided a collection of 360° 3D interactive videos and photos that resonated with the residents to create a familiar and soothing environment, reducing pain, anxiety, depression and more, while increasing their quality of life.

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3D Interactive Temple Environment

VR Vision and Mon Sheong Home for the Aged built an effective partnership. This collaboration yielded advancements and improvements to not only hardware, reducing the weight of the headset for frail muscles, but the program as well. Winnie Ho, Director of Resident Care at the Home, said, “This partnership has opened our eyes to a range of possibilities. VR Vision supplied us with an innovative solution to not only keep our residents happy and healthy but to further our staff in training.”

Together, Mon Sheong Home for the Aged and VR Vision is researching ways to bring virtual reality into long-term care. With the data coming from the Home, VR Vision is advancing their platform. They are currently improving their controller functions, once paired with the new games being developed, will help to improve seniors’ physical capabilities.

“Virtual Reality Healthcare training is unparalleled as a method for learning when information that needs to be acquired is complex,” VR Vision said, “Also, where trainees must try to grapple with difficult-to-observe phenomena that occur rarely or in dangerous situations. The advantages offered by VR Vision for the above scenarios are in faster and better learning at a lower cost.” With this, the Home and VR Vision is steadily opening up avenues for training opportunities using virtual reality.

This collaboration is very exciting, not only for Mon Sheong Home for the Aged but the entire Mon Sheong family as well. As an organization, Mon Sheong is looking forward to implementing more innovative care services to keep our residents happy and healthy. VR Vision is a very welcomed partner as this partnership continues to create advancements to innovate senior care.