Feasibility of implementing immersive and non-interactive virtual reality interventions in elderly populations: A scoping review

Abstract

Introduction: The rapid growth of the elderly population underscores the need for affordable and easy-to- implement elderly care interventions. While virtual reality (VR) interventions show promising results, the feasibility of implementing non-interactive VR in elderly populations is under-researched. Objectives: This scoping review investigates preconceptions, practical and economic barriers, and health and safety risks associated with implementing non-interactive VR interventions in elderly populations. Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were systematically searched; reference lists were manually searched. Only studies that utilized non-interactive VR were eligible for inclusion. Results & Discussion: Overall, VR was easy to use, inexpensive, and associated with minimal adverse effects, suggesting that it is generally feasible to implement non-interactive VR interventions in elderly populations. However, willingness to use VR varied widely. Educating care providers and recipients on VR may enhance preconceptions and further facilitate implementation. Further research is needed to explore the preconceptions and caregiver burden associated with VR implementation. (c) 2024 HZ University of Applied Science. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)