Quality of lifewhat the research examines
Short answer: The library holds 54 references on virtual reality and quality of life, published between 2003 and 2026. They include 8 systematic reviews or meta-analyses and 4 randomised controlled trials. The research mainly examines well-being, mood and social engagement in older people and people with chronic illness.
The evidence in numbers
54References
8Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
4Randomised trials
2003–2026Years
Counted in the RVer study library · languages: Portuguese, English. The design of each study was classified by the team from the publication.
What the research examines
- Well-being, mood and social engagement in older people and people with chronic illness.
- People with mild cognitive impairment or dementia, and their families.
- Connecting with family at a distance during the session.
- Quality of life as an outcome in rehabilitation and in palliative care.
What is not yet known
- Quality-of-life measures vary widely between studies.
- Short interventions, lasting weeks, with little follow-up.
- Differences between stages of cognitive impairment and between settings (home, care home, hospital).
The references, by study design
Meta-analyses · 3
- Immersive virtual reality for improving cognitive deficits in children with ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysisNiamh Corrigan · 2023 · Virtual Reality (Springer), 27: 3545–3564
- How effective is virtual reality technology in palliative care? A systematic review and meta-analysisJiping Mo · 2022 · Palliative Medicine, 36(7): 1047–1058
- The effectiveness of virtual reality for people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia: a meta-analysisOksoo Kim · 2019 · BMC Psychiatry, 19(1): 219
Systematic reviews · 5
- Effects of Virtual Reality in the Rehabilitation of Parkinson's Disease: A Systematic ReviewJuan Rodríguez-Mansilla · 2023
- Immersive virtual reality and psychological well-being in adult chronic physical illness: systematic reviewWilliam R. G. McGhee · 2023 · BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care, 2023
- Using virtual reality in palliative care: a systematic integrative reviewH. Carmont · 2022 · International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 28(3): 132–144
- Benefits of VR Physical Exercise on Cognition in Older Adults with and without Mild Cognitive Decline: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled TrialsKohei Sakaki · 2021 · Healthcare (MDPI), 9(7): 883
- Efeitos da realidade virtual no equilíbrio e marcha de indivíduos com doença de Parkinson: uma revisão sistemáticaGeiziane Terezinha Luz · 2021 · Revista da Universidade Vale do Rio Verde
Randomised controlled trials · 4
- Effect of Immersive Virtual Reality Reminiscence versus Traditional Reminiscence Therapy on Cognitive Function and Psychological Well-being among Older Adults in Assisted Living Facilities: A randomized controlled trialNawara Khirallah Abd El Fatah · 2024 · Geriatric Nursing, 55: 191–203
- Effects of Immersive Virtual Therapy as a Method Supporting the Psychological and Physical Well-Being of Women with a Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A Randomized Controlled TrialOliver Czech · 2024 · Current Oncology
- VR in Nursing Facilities - A randomized controlled multicenter pilot study analyzing the changes in the state of mind of seniors in nursing facilities through the viewing of 360° videosSina-Sophia Gruber · 2022 · Journal of Public Health, 30(11): 2701–2715
- Efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of dental phobia in adults: A randomized controlled trialKumar Raghav Gujjar · 2019 · Journal of Anxiety Disorders
Non-randomised clinical studies · 5
- Exploring the Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality on Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and Caregiver Burden: Longitudinal Observational StudyLing-Chun Huang · 2025 · JMIR Serious Games, 13: e73044
- Using Virtual Reality to Improve the Quality of Life of Older Adults with Cognitive Impairments and their Family Members who Live at a DistanceTamara Afifi · 2023 · Health Communication, 38(9): 1904–1915
- The Long-term Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality Reminiscence in People With Dementia: Longitudinal Observational StudyLing-Chun Huang · 2022 · JMIR Serious Games, 10(3): e36720
- Combination of 3-Dimensional Virtual Reality and Hands-On Aromatherapy in Improving Institutionalized Older Adults’ Psychological Health: Quasi-Experimental StudyVivian Ya-Wen Cheng · 2020 · Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(7): e17096
- Impact of Virtual Reality (VR) Experience on Older Adults' Well-BeingCharles Xueyang Lin · 2018 · ITAP 2018, Lecture Notes in Computer Science (Springer)
Pilot or feasibility studies · 11
- Investigating the Efficacy of Virtual Reality Therapy on Sleep Quality Among Bosnian Young Adults: A Pilot StudyFaruk Obuća · 2025 · Sleep and Vigilance
- Supporting Tremor Rehabilitation Using Optical See-Through Augmented Reality TechnologyKai Wang · 2023 · Sensors (MDPI), 23(8): 3924
- Feasibility of Group-Based Multiple Virtual Reality Sessions to Reduce Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Persons Living in Residential Aged CareRachel E. Brimelow · 2022 · Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(5): 831–837.e2
- Virtual reality and well-being in older adults: Results from a pilot implementation of virtual reality in long-term careFerzana Chaze · 2022 · Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, 9: 20556683211072384
- Developing a virtual reality for people with dementia in nursing homes based on their psychological needs: a feasibility studyJung-Hee Kim · 2021 · BMC Geriatrics, 21(1): 167
- The Potential of Personalized Virtual Reality in Palliative Care: A Feasibility TrialLetizia Perna · 2021 · American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 38(12): 1488–1494
- Older Adults With Cognitive and/or Physical Impairments Can Benefit From Immersive Virtual Reality Experiences: A Feasibility StudyLora Appel · 2020 · Frontiers in Medicine, 6: 329
- Preliminary Research: Virtual Reality in Residential Aged Care to Reduce Apathy and Improve MoodRachel E. Brimelow · 2020 · Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 23(3): 165–170
- Promoting Reminiscences with Virtual Reality Headsets: A Pilot Study with People with DementiaTiago Coelho · 2020 · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24): 9301
- Using Virtual Reality to Improve Apathy in Residential Aged Care: Mixed Methods StudyDimitrios Saredakis · 2020 · Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(6): e17632
- Effectiveness of a Virtual Reality Forest on People With Dementia: A Mixed Methods Pilot StudyWendy Moyle · 2018 · The Gerontologist, 58(3): 478–487
Qualitative or user studies · 4
- Expectations for a co-designed virtual immersive program for older adults with dementia in long-term care: a qualitative study with residents, family, and staffMary Van · 2026 · Frontiers in Dementia, 5: 1735564
- Virtual reality sessions to promote subjective well-being of institutionalized older adults: Feedback from care staffJulie Restout · 2026 · Geriatric Nursing, 68: 103900
- A nature-immersive virtual reality intervention to support hospice family caregivers: Qualitative findings from a pilot studyPatano · 2024 · Asia-Pacific Journal of Oncology Nursing
- Immersive virtual reality for shoulder rehabilitation: evaluation of a physical therapy program executed with Oculus Quest 2Umile Giuseppe Longo · 2023 · BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 24: 859
Narrative or scoping reviews · 11
- Virtual Reality Interventions for Enhancing Sleep Quality: A Comprehensive Review of Current ApproachesKomal Sharma · 2025 · Sleep and Vigilance
- Immersive virtual reality in the promotion of health and well-being for people in residential aged care without cognitive impairment: A scoping reviewHelen Holloway · 2024 · DIGITAL HEALTH, 10: 20552076241249568
- Fully Immersive Virtual Reality Using 360° Videos to Manage Well-Being in Older Adults: A Scoping ReviewJ. Restout · 2023 · Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 24(4): 564–572
- Os benefícios da realidade virtual na qualidade de vida em idosos não institucionalizadosGislaine Silva Cardoso Ferreira · 2023 · Revista Saúde Multidisciplinar, 14(1): 114–121
- Physical Activity in Immersive Virtual Reality: A Scoping ReviewFrano Giakoni-Ramírez · 2023 · Healthcare (MDPI), 11(11): 1553
- The Application of Fully Immersive Virtual Reality on Reminiscence Interventions for Older Adults: Scoping ReviewZhipeng Lu · 2023 · JMIR Serious Games, 11: e45539
- Designing Virtual Reality Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety in Older Adults Living with Parkinson's Disease: Integrating Literature for ScopingKarthick Thangavelu · 2022
- The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Exercises to Reduce Fall Risk in Parkinson's Disease: A Literature ReviewFaizah Abdullah Djawas · 2022
- Virtual reality to promote wellbeing in persons with dementia: A scoping reviewLora Appel · 2021 · Journal of Rehabilitation and Assistive Technologies Engineering, 8: 20556683211053952
- A Mini-Review of Virtual Reality-Based Interventions to Promote Well-Being for People Living with Dementia and Mild Cognitive ImpairmentNathan M. D’Cunha · 2019 · Gerontology, 65(4): 430–440
- Virtual Rehabilitation - Benefits and ChallengesGrigore Burdea · 2003 · Methods of Information in Medicine, 42(5): 519–523
Essays, editorials or conceptual papers · 3
- Realidade virtual imersiva nos Cuidados Paliativos: perspectivas para a Reabilitação TotalBreno Augusto Bormann de Souza Filho · 2022 · Cadernos Brasileiros de Terapia Ocupacional, 30: e3024
- Using immersive virtual reality with autistic pupils: moving towards greater inclusion and co-participation through ethical practicesNigel Newbutt · 2022 · Journal of Enabling Technologies (Emerald)
- When sleep goes virtual: the potential of using virtual reality at bedtime to facilitate sleepMassimiliano de Zambotti · 2020 · Sleep
Study protocols · 1
- Effectiveness of virtual reality technology in symptom management of end-of-life patients: protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysisWanting Xia · 2023 · BMJ Open, 13: e068532
Books or chapters · 2
- Therapeutic Virtual Reality: Theory, Applications, and Impact on the People’s Health and Well-beingJoão Fernandes Thomaz · 2026 · Cambridge Scholars Publishing
- Therapeutic Virtual Reality (RVer) Findings in Older Adults’ Cognitive Impairment and DepressionRita Ferreira · 2022 · RVer
Clinical studies, design not stated · 5
- From learning to enjoyment: Virtual reality walking experiences for older adults in long-term careAna Hafner · 2026 · Experimental Gerontology, 223: 113237
- Virtual Reality–Assisted Sleep Bundle Intervention for Enhancing Sleep Outcomes in Critically Ill PatientsHsiao-Yean Chiu · 2026 · Sleep Medicine
- Enhancing the daily lives of aged care residents including those with mild cognitive impairment through virtual reality travel experiencesHans Stefan · 2025 · Virtual Reality, 29(3): 106
- Virtual reality improves sleep quality and associated symptoms in patients with chronic insomniaYahui Wan · 2024 · Sleep Medicine
- Virtual reality improves sleep quality amongst older adults with disabilitiesLiang-Chih Chang · 2014 · International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Glossary terms
Other topics
This page describes what published research on virtual reality examines in this topic. It is not a claim about RVer's performance and does not replace clinical assessment. The Class I medical device registration (EUDAMED, Basic UDI-DI 56006195127RVERTZ, and INFARMED, Portugal, CDM 94571546) covers the RVer base product.