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Tribune News Service

In a retirement home in Dallas, Texas, Theresa Steward is skydiving.
The 74-year-old American squeals and yelps as the ground rushes up and snow-capped mountains slide past. Her body lurches forward, and she grabs at the air to steady herself. After landing safely, she appears relieved but exhilarated.
Steward’s experience was conducted in virtual reality (VR), with a headset that took her on a wild adventure from indoors.
“I’m glad I experienced that because I never would do skydiving,” Steward says.
This is not thrill-seeking for its own sake. Steward is one of several residents at Umphress Terrace, the retirement home, to try out the VR headset and handheld controllers. They are taking turns on the Great American Elderverse, a platform built by Texas-based tech company Mynd Immersive for underserved seniors that blends entertainment with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy.

What is happening at Umphress Terrace reflects a broader shift. Once mostly associated with gaming, VR is showing up in senior living communities as companies and scientists study whether immersive experiences can ease loneliness, support cognition and mental health, and improve quality of life.
“This is not just turning a gaming system into an entertainment system,” says Chris Brickler, co-founder and CEO of Mynd Immersive. “There’s a real science behind this.”
The United States is ageing quickly. From 2020 to 2024, the number of adults aged 65 and older grew 13 per cent, according to a recent report by the United States Census. That population is projected to climb from 59.3 million in 2024 to roughly 82 million by 2050.
With that growth comes urgent questions about health and quality of life. Loneliness and social isolation are problems in the US among older adults. A 2023 national poll found 37 per cent of adults ages 50 to 80 reported feeling lonely, and 34 per cent said they felt socially isolated.












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Research has found that persistent loneliness can raise the risk of poor health outcomes. In a study published in 2023 that followed older adults for nine years, socially isolated people 65 and older had a 27 per cent higher risk of developing dementia than their peers who were not socially isolated.
VR is one way to ease social isolation, Brickler says. He started Mynd Immersive with Shawn Wiora nearly a decade ago after Wiora saw what a music programme could do for residents with memory issues in nursing homes. He brought Brickler an idea: could that kind of engagement be delivered in a more immersive way?
Research suggests VR offers great benefits for older adults. A 2018 study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that seniors who used a VR system for two weeks reported feeling less isolated and depressed, with more frequent positive moods.
Other studies have found VR-based games and reminiscence therapy (therapy meant to jog a person’s memory) may support cognition. A 2022 study reported that interactive gardening and nature videos in VR improved mood and cognitive engagement in older adults.

Mynd Immersive delivers the Great American Elderverse through Meta’s Quest headsets. Brickler says his company has built a library of more than 300 videos that include travel and adventure experiences. Some are made in-house, while others are from producers such as National Geographic.
Interactive games, such as archery or catching butterflies, are designed to build hand-eye coordination, which can be especially helpful for seniors in physiotherapy, says Jacob Giboney, an operations manager at Mynd Immersive. The Great American Elderverse also includes guided experiences such as “Breathe”, a meditative programme intended to help ease anxiety.
In a multi-year study conducted by Stanford University, Mynd Immersive’s VR system was provided to 245 residents aged 65 to 103 in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across 10 US states.
The results found that most participants enjoyed the experiences, reporting improved moods and more positive interactions with staff and carers.

Mynd Immersive is bringing the Great American Elderverse to nursing homes and assisted living facilities across Texas. Brickler says his company’s goal is to reach as many older adults as possible. The VR programme is also available to senior communities in New York state and surrounding areas.
The company is planning additional research to better understand how immersive experiences change the brain.
Meanwhile, Steward is ready for another adventure. She may not be skydiving again soon, but she is considering a virtual visit to Africa.


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An elderly retirement home resident engages in a VR experience. Texas-based tech company Mynd Immersive offers its Great American Elderverse - a VR platform that that blends entertainment with physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy - in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across 10 US states. Photo: Instagram/myndimmersive

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A woman in a nursing home enjoys a virtual reality butterfly-catching activity using the Mynd Immersive program. Photo: Instagram/myndimmersive

A senior uses the Great American Elderverse virtual reality programme. Photo: Mynd Immersive

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Lifestyle

Health & Wellness

Health

From skydiving to gardening, VR experiences offered to residents of US retirement homes are having positive effects on their quality of life


From skydiving to gardening, VR experiences offered to residents of US retirement homes are having positive effects on their quality of life.


Ageing society

Dementia

Mental health

Virtual reality and augmented reality (VR and AR)

How VR experiences can help elderly people boost their mental health and battle loneliness

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From skydiving to gardening, VR experiences offered to residents of US retirement homes are having positive effects on their quality of life

From skydiving to gardening, VR experiences offered to residents of US retirement homes are having positive effects on their quality of life