Virtual Reality (VR) is not a new concept in elder care facilities. It provides a fun and stimulating activity that promotes socialization and allows seniors to partake in activities that they have not done in years (like downhill skiing).

But in this new world of social-distancing and sheltering-in-place, our elders are particularly impacted. Not only are they especially vulnerable to COVID-19, but the side effect of isolating them further affects greater loneliness. And as we now know, isolation and loneliness can have profound health implications over time.

What might the next level look like? I imagine elder care facilities that coordinate VR appointments with others that volunteer to be VR pals (like pen pals). Let’s imagine that I have a 2:30 appointment with Diane Thompsom every Tuesday. Diane has opted for an avatar that is a 30-year-old representation of herself. 

Diane and I tried some different settings before we found we really liked this sweet alpine meadow with a purple blanket of Lupin blossoms, and the sound of a babbling little brook not too far from the large flat rock where we sit and talk. All around us are butterflies, lizards, frongs and birds, all of which are tame and willing to climb into our hand our land upon our finger if we wish. We mostly talk about life sidestepping the harsh realities of her age and these times, focusing more on broader, more conceptual topics about human relations, needs, and desires. Diane is a little flirty at times, and I neither encourage nor repel this, as I get that she is enjoying the idea of being a beautiful young woman again, albeit for a brief time each Tuesday afternoon.

On Thursdays at 1 pm, Todd Johannsen and I have our 30-minute call. Todd is now in a wheelchair, having suffered MS later in life. Todd likes to have very genuine and personal conversations as we hike various trails in and out of different Anasazi ruins in the four corners area. Todd uses this opportunity to experience hiking again, but also talk about things that are very important to him, such as how he wished he had been a better father, his career, his marriage and how challenging it is to have MS now.

I find a lot of reward volunteering for these weekly VR meetings because I am certain that these times add a lot of depth and vibrance to their lives, and frankly, and learn a lot from their life experience, and am uplifted to discover that with so little time and effort on my part, I can make a real difference for them.  I know that both Diane and Todd have other VR pals as well and that only adds further color and variety into their lives. I am happy to be a part of their spectrum of VR pals.

In closing, I see this as a very viable near term solution to the needs for social interaction and activities for our elders, while keeping them safely isolated from our pandemic world. And I further see VR as a new way for families to explore, from their sofa, many exquisite natural and cultural experiences that they may never have had the opportunity to have, and now, even less so.