Virtual reality headsets for older people with limited mobility
Improving the health and wellbeing of older people with limited mobility.
Project overview
Older people in care homes across the country were experiencing declining mobility following multiple COVID lockdowns. Many residents, once active, were now limited to just a few hundred steps a day, impacting both their physical health and overall wellbeing.
Through our strategic partnership work, we brought together Oxfordshire County Council, care providers and tech-start up Motus VR to explore how innovation could help reverse this trend. We helped to secure a £350,000 Innovate UK grant, funding the 17-month trial at Fairfield Residential Home in Summertown, Auditcare's Mon Choisy care home in Kennington and assisted living sites in Cornwall. As a result, virtual reality technology helped residents to walk up to 3km a day from their chairs.
Objectives
Working closely with care home staff and residents, the partnership developed a virtual reality (VR) solution that combined immersive headsets with seated treadmills. This allowed residents to explore environments simply by moving their feet while seated, with options for more active participation for those willing. The goal was creating experiences that naturally encouraged movement, social interaction and participation.
Achievements
Residents progressed from walking only a few hundred steps per day to covering between 300 metres and 3km per session, with some engaging for up to 40 minutes at a time. Beyond physical gains, the project left a strong emotional impact, with residents reporting increased motivation and a sense of achievement.
The project has spurred academic interest from the NHS, and research proposals from Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Oxford are under consideration. Motus VR has made significant commercial progress since, receiving orders from further education colleges and attracting interest that may not have been possible without the project's development.
“Our partnership with Oxfordshire County Council has given us the opportunity to trial our virtual reality technology in a real-life environment and the results have been beyond our expectations.
“We have seen our VR technologies expand the horizons of people whose worlds have shrunk, providing safe opportunities for social connections, learning and unwitting exercise. These wonderful experiences enhance their lives and further build caring relationships with the fantastic staff.
“We have witnessed glimpses of the real person where advanced dementia otherwise hides these interesting people, and seen new connections and insights for caring staff with people who usually don’t engage in activities.
“Described by one staff member as ‘miraculous’, our VR technologies are magical motivators of social connections and movement, and we continue to work with the county council, social care and the NHS to assist people in living longer, better.”