Charity Community360 has brought VR technology to Aveley Lodge care home in Colchester, with an innovative project which gives residents the opportunity to travel around the word – from places they used to live to somewhere they’ve always wanted to visit.
The project, facilitated by the University of Essex which has lent the charity the VR equipment, has been running bi-weekly at Aveley Lodge since April, with over 44 residents taking part in the initiative to date, including return participants.
By using controllers or a pedal exerciser and moving them around, residents can travel down their chosen roads and feel like they are truly there. The technology allows them to turn 360 degrees to see all around them and they can also experience the sounds associated with the sights they see.
In the latest session organised by Community360, six residents travelled across Europe and North America. Three of them visited Austria, where one of the residents used to go on holiday, and where they also found a new route that took them on “The Sound of Music” Trail.
“The hills are alive, with the sound of music,” one of the residents started singing when seeing the sight of the Hohenwerfen castle.
The resident who had previously visited the alpine country was also pleased to discover that it hadn’t changed much at all, besides the roads which were wider than the terrifying single-track roads she remembered.
Other two residents wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower, which they had never been to before. Not only did they see the iconic Parisian landmark on a sunny day, but the latest Google Street View update also allowed them to see the Olympic rings hanging from it.
Finally, one resident travelled to Canada, where he was evacuated to in his youth, and he was surprisingly able to give precise directions to the exact place where he used to live. “I can still see it now, I’ll remember that forever,” he said.
The project run by Community360 has been very well-received by residents, with staff also noticing an improvement in some of their strength, coordination and dexterity, as some start to confidently move the controller at speed without assistance, after just a few sessions.
Community360 is a charity based in Colchester which is dedicated to making a difference to people’s lives and which seeks to create compassionate communities by helping people improve their health and wellbeing by working in partnership with the community and other charities.
Emily Wingate, Physical Activities Officer and Engagement Manager at Community360, who runs the VR project at Aveley Lodge, said:
“It’s been fantastic to see benefits that the VR technology has had on the residents – not only do they have the opportunity to see parts of the world they have never seen before, as well as familiar places they thought they would never see again, but the activity also helps bring everyone together and prompts new discussions and helps build relationships.
“As a charity dedicated to enabling people to thrive by identifying and responding to unmet need, it’s been great to use this innovative technology to fill a gap in residents’ routine and bring them back the joy of travelling. We hope to be able to further scale up the project and bring it to even more care homes, to further boost wellbeing in the social care environment.”
Emily Daniels, Activities and Wellbeing Coordinator at Aveley Lodge, said:
“We are very grateful to Community360 for bringing VR technology to our residents. It has been heartwarming to see how excited they are each week when they can travel to new places. Even our residents with dementia give it a go, and as they don’t remember the previous sessions, they are in awe of the project every time they attend.
“Working in partnership with the charity has been a fantastic experience, helping us provide enriching opportunities to those under our care, and we encourage other care homes which have the chance to use this technology to make the most out of it!”
