Tips for caregivers using VR to improve daily life for dementia patients
Virtual reality (VR) is changing the way care homes support residents living with dementia. Rather than practising daily tasks independently, VR provides immersive experiences that stimulate memory, spark conversation, reduce anxiety, and create moments of joy.
For care home managers, support staff, and healthcare providers, VR offers a unique opportunity to enhance residents’ quality of life, support staff training, and embrace innovative, person-centred care.
How VR supports wellbeing and engagement
Dementia can make new experiences overwhelming and familiar routines difficult to navigate. VR provides a safe and controlled environment where residents can explore, reminisce, and enjoy interactive experiences without stress or risk.
Key benefits include:
Memory and reminiscence stimulation: Residents can revisit meaningful places, such as childhood towns, family holiday spots, or familiar gardens, sparking memories and conversations.
Exploring the new: VR enables residents to visit places they’ve never been, such as safaris and national parks, creating excitement and curiosity.
Social interaction: VR experiences encourage conversation, laughter, and connection with peers and caregivers.
Sensory stimulation: Virtual experiences, such as beaches, forests, or zoos, provide calming or engaging sensory input, which can reduce agitation and improve mood.
Feedback from care homes shows residents look forward to VR sessions, with increased engagement, improved mood, and enhanced social interaction throughout the day.
VR is already making a difference in care homes across the UK.
A resident at one care home enjoyed a virtual trip to Spain, triggering conversation about past holidays and family memories.
“This open book to the world is magnificent. The first thing he showed me was Burghley House. I was in awe of the beautiful ceilings. We then moved to Spain, where he showed me the sherry province. My son, one of my two sons, lives in that part of Spain. I could have stayed much longer looking at those scenes because I'm very sure that I recognised them”.
Another resident visited West Yorkshire, where she had visited many times with her family.
“It’s so clear and very realistic. I’ve loved seeing all this again. We live in our memories, and what lovely memories they are.”
VR benefits staff as much as residents.
By integrating VR into care routines, staff can provide more personalised, responsive, and engaging support for residents.
Experiencing VR from the resident’s perspective gives caregivers valuable empathy and insight, helping them better understand individual needs and reactions. Observing how residents respond to different VR experiences also allows staff to plan activities that are tailored to each person’s preferences and abilities.
VR sessions create shared experiences that encourage interaction, strengthen relationships, and improve communication between residents and staff.
As one care home team shared,
“I would definitely recommend Recreo VR to other services; it’s helped our dementia patients a lot. It makes them so happy when they see the outside world or something they’ve never seen before.”
Tailored and innovative VR experiences
Our VR experiences are designed with residents’ individual needs in mind:
Customisable videos: Many of our VR experiences are recorded by us, allowing content to be tailored to residents.
Revisiting the familiar: Residents can return to places they once visited but can no longer access physically.
Discovering the new: They can explore locations they’ve never seen, from historic landmarks to faraway natural wonders.
Get in touch with the team to find out more about our experiences or book a demo.