There are many health benefits from using VR ranging from strengthening cognitive health to fostering social connections, promoting physical activity, contributing to memory enhancement and overall mental well-being. While not a definitive solution, correlations between engaging in simulated sensory experiences and alleviating symptoms of memory diseases offer promising insights. The immersive environments of VR games have the power to stimulate minds, providing a unique form of cognitive exercise that can contribute to maintaining mental acuity, particularly among the older generation.
In a remarkable fusion of technology and leisure, virtual reality gaming has ushered in a new era of engagement for seniors and the elderly. Beyond mere entertainment, VR games hold the potential to bestow a range of holistic benefits, from strengthening cognitive health to fostering social connections and promoting physical activity. As the gaming landscape evolves, the Meta Quest 2, Pico 4 VR, and the PSVR2 stand as prominent platforms that embrace seniors' unique preferences and enrich their lives through immersive experiences.
Studies illuminate the potential of VR gaming to contribute to memory enhancement and overall mental well-being among seniors. While not a definitive solution, correlations between engaging in simulated sensory experiences and alleviating symptoms of memory diseases offer promising insights. The immersive environments of VR games have the power to stimulate seniors' minds, providing a unique form of cognitive exercise that can contribute to maintaining mental acuity.
Seniors often grapple with social isolation which can impact their quality of life. VR gaming offers a solution by enabling seniors to forge connections from the comfort of their homes. Virtual social experiences transcend physical limitations, allowing seniors to participate in events, visit far-off places, and engage in shared activities with loved ones and fellow enthusiasts. The social dimension of VR gaming becomes a tool to combat loneliness and cultivate a sense of belonging.
Staying physically active is vital for seniors' overall health and well-being. VR games provide a dynamic solution by offering interactive experiences that encourage movement and exercise. Whether through engaging dance routines, guided workouts, or simulated sports, VR gaming motivates seniors to embrace physical activity in an enjoyable and immersive manner. This avenue not only supports physical health but also contributes to emotional and mental vitality.
Top Benefits from using VR if you are suffering from an ailment
A recent study conducted by Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS for GI Health - Click for full article. Although the study was conducted for hospital patients the findings are equally relevant to anyone that is suffering but living at home or other.
You can literally see two distinct moments that prove when VR is working its magic
We’ve been watching closely as patients use VR. There are two distinct, indelible moments that indicate VR is working its magic. The first moment, which I call the Moment of Cognitive Immersion, typically comes within 20 seconds of use. The second moment, which I call the Moment of Physiologic Immersion, typically arrives about 3-5 minutes after initiating VR. I’ll break down the two moments here:
Moment of Cognitive Immersion: When patients first don VR goggles and view the images, they often stare straight ahead, not yet recognizing the immersive, 360-degree nature of the experience. Some patients will discover this on their own, whereas others require prompting from the research staff to move their head and explore the scene. But the moment they begin to move, invariably, there is a recognition that VR is different from anything experienced before. This is the Moment of Cognitive Immersion, when the patient becomes aware they are within a broader, more expansive environment than initially recognized. The patient almost always smiles, laughs, or says something like “that’s amazing!” It’s at that very moment the user recognizes that VR is special and different. It’s pretty magical.
Moment of Physiologic Immersion: Once patients cognitively recognize they are in a 3-D, immersive environment, the next step is for their autonomic nervous system to settle into the experience. Whereas the Moment of Cognitive Immersion registers in the intellectual centers of the brain, the Moment of Physiologic Immersion is more of a brainstem phenomenon, where the body automatically adjusts in rhythm with the experience. This is most evident when we use relaxing environments, such as a nature tour or a mindful meditation experience. We can actually see the moment the patient takes his or her first, deep, purposeful breath. The chest abruptly rises, then slowly falls, and the body posture changes markedly. The shoulders will fall back, the torso sinks deeper into the bed, and tension is released, all without conscious awareness. This involuntary physiologic cascade does not always occur, but when it does, we know VR is having its impact. We can see it without question. It’s a beautiful thing.
VR can significantly reduce pain without the need of narcotics or other medications
We’ve tested VR for back pain, shoulder pain, foot pain, pain from infections, post-surgical wound pain, and severe abdominal pain, among others. It has been surprising to observe that VR seems to work on all types of pain with seemingly equal efficacy (with notable exceptions, described later). This doesn’t mean that VR works for everyone, but when it works, it really works – regardless of the specific type of pain. In our uncontrolled case series recently completed (manuscript in preparation), we preliminary found a 24% reduction in pain after only 10 minutes of using a special visualization called Pain RelieVR, created by AppliedVR and administered via Samsung Gear goggles. Specifically, the mean pain scores dropped from a baseline of 5.44 to 4.1 out of 10 (p-value<0.00001).
In one case, I treated a patient with 8 out of 10 abdominal pain of unclear origin. Narcotics didn’t work and she was receiving an intravenous drip with ketamine – a powerful analgesic that forces patients into a trance-like state. That didn’t work well, either. But within 10 minutes of using VR she reported “zero pain.” She literally said: “I’m ready to go home, as long as I can bring this thing with me.” The patient was discharged the next day after nearly a week in the hospital.
VR is by no means a miracle cure and some patients have no response. But when it works, it works. After practicing medicine for 18 years, I cannot think of any other treatment I’ve used (short of life-saving maneuvers) with a greater immediate impact on patients than VR.
Even a negative response to VR can be clinically useful
We find that roughly 80% to 90% of patients have at least some kind of response to VR, even if it’s not longstanding. That still leaves about 1 in 5 patients who report little to no therapeutic benefit.
But to our amazement, we’ve seen some examples where a completely negative response is also clinically useful.
For example, I recently evaluated a young woman with 8 months of chronic, severe abdominal pain. She had been extensively evaluated by many doctors and all the tests were negative. She was losing weight and could not eat because of the pain, but a clear-cut explanation could not be identified despite extensive testing. Doctors suspected that she was suffering from psychogenic pain and anorexia nervosa. We decided to try VR. Nothing happened. She said the experience was “cool,” but that her pain broke straight through the illusion without abatement. It was a complete therapeutic failure.
The failure was so absolute – so complete – that it caused us to re-think the cause of her pain. If it were at all psychogenic, then we might have expected at least a minor response. It’s unusual for psychogenic pain to break through the powerful illusion of VR completely. We dug deeper to find an organic explanation for her pain, and ultimately found a rare but treatable condition called median arcuate ligament syndrome. The major blood vessels in her abdomen were crushed by a ligament on her diaphragm that was surgically removed. Her pain had an obvious and striking physical cause, and the lack of VR response forced us to look harder and find it.