Floriana elderly home residents enjoy new experiences through virtual reality
Project aimed to help reduce social isolation, stimulate cognitive function and support rehabilitation process
Residents at the Floriana elderly home now have the opportunity to experience and explore the world without having to leave their chairs, through the use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.
“Technology is not replacing human contact, but is being enhanced by it," Parliamentary Secretary Malcolm Paul Agius Galea said during a visit to the Floriana Residential Home, where the first sessions of the project are taking place.
Galea Agius was observing firsthand how elderly residents were enjoying new experiences through Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technology, as part of a pilot project introduced by the Active Ageing and Community Care (AACC).
The initiative originated as a proposal during a seminar on innovation and creativity, after which AACC ensured that staff were given the necessary training to use the technology safely and appropriately for the residents.
Galea said the project shows how active ageing can continue to develop with modern tools, which can make a real difference in everyday life.
Residents taking part in the pilot sessions have been able to go on virtual visits to local and international places, such as the Parish Church of Żabbar, the city of Venice and the Vatican, in Italy.
Plans are for the porject to expand to more care homes across Malta, with the main initiative to help reduce social isolation, stimulate cognitive function and support the rehabilitation process.