Virtual reality for older adults: what it is for, what research says and what precautions to take

One note before we start. RVer is not only for older people: it is used with people aged 10 to 100, in hospitals, care homes and palliative care. Here we look at one of those settings, because it is the one most people search for.

What it is, in one sentence

Virtual reality is a technology that replaces what a person sees and hears with another place, filmed or computer-generated, shown in a headset that follows the movements of the head. It sits in front of the eyes, held by a strap around the head.

With older people, the content that makes sense is almost always 360° video filmed from a fixed point: a beach, a village, a local festival, a garden. The person looks around, seated, and is there. There is no game, no controls to learn and nothing to win.

What it is used for with older people

In an institution, virtual reality comes in as a non-pharmacological intervention: a complement to the activities and care that already exist, always with the team alongside. The most common uses are four.

Reminiscence. Seeing a childhood place again, a village festival, a pilgrimage site. Reminiscence therapy uses memories as a way into conversation, and an immersive video gives that conversation a concrete starting point. Cognitive stimulation through reminiscence is part of the registered intended purpose of the RVer base product.

Wellbeing and mood. A break in a calm place, on a long afternoon, for someone who no longer leaves the building or the room.

Isolation. Social isolation and loneliness are common among people living in residential care. A session is also a conversation: about the place, about who was there, about what has changed.

Moments of care. In hospital, virtual reality is studied as a distraction during procedures and as a way to help manage pain and anxiety. For people who are bedbound, there is a lying-down mode.

What the research says

The RVer study library holds 54 references on virtual reality and quality of life, including 8 systematic reviews or meta-analyses and 4 randomised trials. What those studies mostly examine is wellbeing, mood and social engagement in older people and people with chronic illness.

Some examples, all by independent authors:

• A feasibility study with older adults with cognitive or physical impairments, whose title sums up the authors' conclusion: they can benefit from immersive experiences (Appel, 2020).
• A multicentre randomised pilot study in nursing facilities, on the state of mind of residents who watched 360° videos (Gruber, 2022).
• A randomised trial comparing immersive virtual reality reminiscence with traditional reminiscence, in assisted living facilities (Fatah, 2024).
• Two studies on apathy and mood in residential aged care (Saredakis, 2020; Brimelow, 2020).
• A scoping review on pain and anxiety in older adults (Corbel, 2025).

What is still unknown is written down in the library too: studies use very different quality-of-life measures, interventions are short, a few weeks long, and there is little follow-up. Virtual reality cures nothing and works no miracles. What the research supports is a modest, useful role: a good moment, a conversation, a break.

The precautions that make the difference

With older people, the real risk is not the screen, it is balance. So the rules are practical, not technical:

• Always seated. In a stable chair or in bed, never standing.
• Always accompanied. Someone from the team alongside, from start to finish.
• Short sessions. A few minutes is enough, especially the first few times.
• Content without movement. Video filmed from a fixed point avoids most cybersickness, the nausea that appears when the eyes see movement the body does not feel.
• Assessment first, when in doubt. Epilepsy or photosensitivity, serious balance problems and some psychiatric conditions call for a clinical assessment beforehand.
• Seeing and hearing well. The RVer headset is worn over prescription glasses, and it is worth checking the hearing aid is working.
• Hygiene between people. A simple cleaning routine, as with any shared equipment.

We explain all of this in detail in is virtual reality bad for you?

How RVer works in a care home

RVer is a complete system, not a stand-alone headset. The team uses a tablet or computer on the institution's local network to choose the content, see what is playing, and pause or stop at any moment. One person can manage several headsets at once.

A few things that matter to whoever decides:

• The base product, the video library, is a Class I medical device registered in EUDAMED and with INFARMED (Portugal), CE marked.
• The session runs on the headset itself, with no internet, and no personal or clinical data about the person leaves the device.
• During the session, the family can join by video call and see what the person is seeing. The call is not recorded.
• The headsets belong to RVer. The institution contracts a yearly service, with no investment in equipment.

There is more about this setting on the virtual reality for care homes page. To prepare a first reminiscence session, the life story form helps choose the right place.

Not only for older people

This article is about older people because that is what many people search for. But RVer is used with people aged 10 to 100: in hospitals and clinics, for comfort during procedures and to help manage pain and anxiety; in palliative care, for comfort and to bring the family closer; and in care homes, day centres and continuing care units.