Cambridge Enhanced Senior Living and the Cambridge Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center in Moorestown, NJ, recently hosted a virtual Summer Olympic Games for residents as part of a larger partnership between the campus and VR platform Rendever.
Residents and their families have been exploring VR together for the first time. Cambridge hopes that VR will boost physical and mental health and encourage intergenerational bonds as residents, children and grandchildren explore the future of technology together.
Residents and their families are able to travel to new places as well as journey back in time to explore and share their memories of their hometown, said Ricky Pena, vice president of life enrichment and therapeutic activities at Marquis Health Consulting Services, which supports Cambridge and facilitated the Rendever partnership.
“Through their journeys, each participant was able to connect, explore and express themselves,” he added. “Each experience was heartfelt and remarkable to witness.”
Five residents and their families were able to participate in a recent event, and each group’s experience was described as “fun, unique and left all participants inspired.”
“It was quite amazing, and you just felt like you were a part of what you were looking at,” said a resident named Mandy.
After seeing the effects of the VR platform, Cambridge expanded its program by integrating RendeverFit and has introduced corporatewide private RendeverLive sessions, enabling residents to travel the world virtually and stay active through various VR games and sports.
Participants credit virtual reality with helping them feel connected to what is going on outside of the senior living community and with helping solve some challenges related to social isolation.
Studies have shown that the health effects of social isolation can be as detrimental as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according to Rendever.
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