On a summer afternoon when most New Yorkers are chaining themselves to the nearest air conditioner, a group of seniors recently enjoyed a diving adventure on the high seas and skydiving above the Swiss Alps — all without breaking a sweat. For 77-year-old Walter Delacasas (pictured above), the highlight of the day’s adventures was a nostalgic visit to the street in Havana, Cuba, where he grew up. It was all there, and he was even able to recognize the trees from when he was a kid. Delascasas and his neighbors are able to effortlessly travel the world — and still be home in time for dinner — with a little help from virtual reality company Mynd Immersive, which believes that the technology assumed to rot the younger generation’s minds can boost the brains of the elderly, improving their cognition and quality of life. Seniors, with the help of caregivers, can slip on one of Mynd’s futuristic headsets and go anywhere in the world they want to go. Through Google Earth and other technology, Mynd has created more than 200 immersive videos and virtual vacations that allow residents to travel the world without leaving home. These VR adventures are part of a treatment known as reminiscence therapy, which typically involves showing seniors photos and other reminders of their youth to cultivate joy. A 2022 study found that VR reminiscence improved anxiety, apathy and cognitive function immediately after intervention in elderly individuals. According to a recent Stanford University study conducted in collaboration with Mynd, 79% of older adults said they felt more positive after using the technology, and more than half felt less isolated.
New York City Seniors Are Skydiving, Hiking the Alps, and Traveling the World — All While Warding Off Dementia
On a summer afternoon when most New Yorkers are chaining themselves to the nearest air conditioner, a group of seniors recently enjoyed a diving adventure on the high seas and skydiving above the Swiss Alps — all without breaking a sweat. For 77-year-old Walter Delacasas (pictured above), the highlight of the day’s adventures was a nostalgic visit to the street in Havana, Cuba, where he grew up. It was all there, and he was even able to recognize the trees from when he was a kid. Delascasas and his neighbors are able to effortlessly travel the world — and still be home in time for dinner — with a little help from virtual reality company Mynd Immersive, which believes that the technology assumed to rot the younger generation’s minds can boost the brains of the elderly, improving their cognition and quality of life. Seniors, with the help of caregivers, can slip on one of Mynd’s futuristic headsets and go anywhere in the world they want to go. Through Google Earth and other technology, Mynd has created more than 200 immersive videos and virtual vacations that allow residents to travel the world without leaving home. These VR adventures are part of a treatment known as reminiscence therapy, which typically involves showing seniors photos and other reminders of their youth to cultivate joy. A 2022 study found that VR reminiscence improved anxiety, apathy and cognitive function immediately after intervention in elderly individuals. According to a recent Stanford University study conducted in collaboration with Mynd, 79% of older adults said they felt more positive after using the technology, and more than half felt less isolated.