Before we entered lockdown our Artists’ Residencies in Care Homes project saw four arts organisations working with four Excelcare homes in Essex, one of the partner organizations – curious directive – had experimented with using virtual reality headsets with residents at Longfield care home in Maldon.
After people were comfortable wearing the headsets, curious directive began to personalise their experiences by asking for places people had previously visited, or places they would like to go. Using these suggestions, they uploaded videos of the locations to the VR headsets, allowing the residents to be transported to their favourite places around the world. One of the residents requested an air show experience and while wearing the headset, she found herself looking into the sky at all the planes that seemed to be flying above her. It was a wonderful moment that she will always remember. “It was fantastic, just like being there”, she said.
You can read more about it in this Excelcare press release.