FAQs
What is VR?
VR, short for Virtual Reality, is a virtual experience where the user puts on a headset that takes them to a different environment (sight and sound). The experiences we provide take older people to different places in the ‘real-world’, where they can look all around themselves, and enjoy comfortably and safely.
Why is VR better than TV?
The experiences are so much more immersive, offering a sense of ‘presence’ which TV can’t. Residents can look around them and listen to whatever catches their eyes and ears. VR is more than entertainment, there are health benefits too:
What are the benefits of VR?
The ‘real-world’ VR experiences we provide allows residents to:
Have an enjoyable, varied experience, reducing boredom and aggression.
Be immersed in ‘nature’, providing restoritative benefits.
Go to places that remind them of past experiences, providing meaning.
Have something to talk about with family and caregivers, alleviating loneliness.
Is it safe to use during covid-19?
You can reduce the risk of the spread of infection by combining disinfectant wipes and disposable facemasks, which many of our clients have been using during lockdown.
Does everyone like it?
Generally we see a really positive response to VR amongst an older audience. There are some who absolutely love it, and it can provide a life changing service. Others quite enjoy it, and something they’d like to do every now and then. Some are not so keen, although often we see this change as they see other residents giving it a go.
Here’s a lovely testimonial from Eileen Warbutt at Guild Care:
I’m overwhelmed... really overwhelmed at the response of VR in our care home, it has been fantastic! It’s so nice feeling the hold on my hand loosen as residents relax, saying things like ‘I want to put my feet in the water’ and ‘I’m on another planet’ and ‘It’s out of this world’.
Someone even cried when the specs were taken off!
Is it suitable for people living with dementia?
The university of Kent have studied the potential of VR for people living with dementia. They found that:-
“Virtual reality technology could vastly improve the quality of life for people with dementia by helping to recall past memories, reduce aggression and improve interactions with caregivers.”
As with the use of this technology with all frail elderly we advise carer discretion, and in our training we go into ways of administering in more detail.
With certain residents, even those later on in the Dementia journey, we have seen the potential to radically improve their sense of wellbeing.
How much does it cost?
Our service costs £95 per month per care home, with an initial set up fee for the headset and training. During this time we’re offering 40% off the setup fee - meaning it’s just £295 to get your care home set up.
Can I cancel my contract?
After 6 months we have ‘no questions asked’ cancellation clause, which means you can cancel your contract if you’re not happy with the service after this time period. We haven’t had anybody cancel our service yet.
Have you conducted research?
We conducted qualitative research with a care home when designing our service and since then we have had fantastic reviews from our clients.
Unfortunately our scientific research study has been put on hold by COVID-19 but we aim to get this started as soon as possible.
You can see first hand feedback on a number of videos on our website homepage, but if you want to be referred to one of our clients please don’t hesitate to ask.
What sorts of scenes are available?
All of the scenes we provide feature gentle walks outdoors in wonderful locations. We know care home residents spend enough time indoors, and the sorts of things they like to see - a great range of people, animals, beaches, towns, the countryside, sea and rivers. All the content is produced by us to ensure it’s suitable and to maintain quality control.
How regularly do I receive content?
Every month you’ll receive a new piece of content which you can download onto the headset from our Immerse Health app for use at any time. You also have access to our whole content library as part of the service.
How do I download content?
All you need to do is connect your headset to WiFi and download the content from our app. This content then remains downloaded for future use without WiFi.
Do I need WiFi?
You’ll only need to connect to WiFi once a month to download your new experience onto your headset. After that, you can use the headset anywhere without the need for an internet connection.
How often do I have to charge the device?
The device retains its charge well and an overnight charge will see it provide hours of constant use - usually enough for one day.
Where can I use device?
The device can be used throughout the care home, whether that being in communal spaces or bedrooms. We always advise that participants use the headsets whilst sitting down.
How many headsets would I need?
Generally we’ve seen that one headset per care home is enough for medium sized homes, at least to get started with. This allows residents to take it in turns with the headset, with a carer making their way through the home delivering the experiences one by one.
How does one actually use this and administer it - what’s the process from carers perspective?
Once you’ve had the included training, it is simple to operate. Just select the experience you’d like to watch from our Immerse Health app within the headset. Put it comfortably on the resident, with safety precautions and they can sit back and enjoy.
Do you make bespoke content?
We certainly can create custom videos for residents. Perhaps a walk around a familiar place, a previous hometown, or an experience with family members to help a resident connect or reconnect with the world outside. Do get in touch if this is of interest.
What cameras do you use?
We use specially designed VR180 stereoscopic cameras, to ensure the scenes are as realistic as possible. We fit these cameras with stabilisers to reduce nausea within the experiences.
What is the technology you use and can you do anything else on the device?
The device we use is the Oculus Go, which is highly effective for these purposes - it is lightweight, Robust and has good quality screen and sound. It has access to plenty of other apps by default - such as games and apps like Youtube. While other VR content is accessible via the headset, we implore diligence when watching third party content, as much of it is unsuitable for an elderly audience and may cause motion sickness and discomfort. Our content has been specifically designed for an older audience.
Do I need any other equipment?
Immerse Health supplies your care home with all of the equipment, training and information your staff need to administer these experiences to your residents, with no hidden costs or requirements:
