Abstract
Abstract
Purpose It has become common to use Virtual Reality (VR) for mental health
interventions; however, its use in care of the elederly is limited, especially
regarding mood and well-being. In this review, we summarize the results of
current VR-based mental health interventions for this population.
Methods Peer-reviewed journal articles on immersive VR mental health
intervention in seniors, published until 2022, were included.
Results There were 2697 results found in the database search, of which 40
articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis.
Most studies did not use an experimental design with randomized controlled
trials and follow-up sessions. Function-oriented and entertainment-oriented
intervention studies were categorized. VR-based geriatric mental interventions
have grown rapidly since 2018, especially the number of interventions that
promote wellbeing. The function-oriented interventions used active interactions
with varied devices. Entertainment-oriented interaction was primarily passive,
seldomly using hand controllers for moving activities. Generally, VR
interventions improved the mental health of older adults.
Conclusion Geriatric rehabilitation can benefit from this innovative
technology to maintain cognitive functions and to improve the well-being of
seniors. They have potential for use in aging care and in retirement homes.
Future VR interventions may also involve promoting social interaction to combat
loneliness among seniors.