A New Era in Senior Care: MyndVR and The Peplinski Group Team Up to Bring VR-Based Digital Therapeutics to Michigan Senior Communities
Extended Reality
5 minutes read
A Michigan senior care community is enhancing the lives of its residents through virtual reality. MyndVR partnered with The Peplinski Group, a senior care facility provider in Michigan, to bring new VR experiences to seniors that focus on occupational and physical therapies. The Peplinski Group’s Stratford Pines facility in Midland, MI is the first community to introduce MyndVRx, a specialized library of VR therapy tools designed with Select Rehab and powered by HTC’s VIVE XR Elite.
With Michigan having a significant population of over two million adults aged 60 and above, the partnership between The Peplinski Group and MyndVR holds immense potential. By leveraging VR technology, seniors can transcend the limitations of their therapy rooms and find themselves in a virtual kitchen, grocery store, or tool shed, where they can practice movements that directly impact their daily activities. This cutting-edge approach opens up a world of possibilities and fosters a more holistic and engaging means of senior care.
The partnership between MyndVR and The Peplinski Group is further bolstered by VIVE XR Elite’s ability to transform into a pair of lightweight, immersive glasses. “With lightweight ergonomics, color passthrough, enhanced processing power, stunning visual clarity, advanced hand-tracking, and 3D spatial audio, seniors can expect an unparalleled experience that transcends the boundaries of reality,” said Cher Wang, Co-founder and Chairwoman of HTC. The collaboration between MyndVR and HTC VIVE underscores a shared mission of improving the quality of life for people worldwide.
"One room becomes a global therapy station," said MyndVR VP of Product Development Jim Gleason. "We can do anything they want. It's whatever you want it to be for the senior." COO of The Peplinski Group, Rick Ackerman, said: "To see people getting the same physical work, but smiling and engaging, it feels more fun."
In the realm of mental health, VR therapy has shown promise in treating various conditions. Studies have indicated that Virtual Reality Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (VRCBT) can lead to significant reductions in symptoms for patients with social anxieties and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These findings demonstrate the potential of VR therapy in improving patient outcomes and reducing distress.
The positive impact of VR in healthcare in general is also well documented. A study conducted by Yale University School of Medicine found that surgeons trained using VR techniques were 29% faster and made six times fewer errors during surgery compared to their non-VR-trained counterparts. This research highlights the potential of VR to improve surgical skills and enhance patient outcomes.
By 2050, the number of Americans 65 and older with Alzheimer's could grow to a projected 12.7 million, putting additional strain on an elder care workforce already facing a shortage of medical professionals. The introduction of HTC’s and MyndVR's technology into The Peplinski Group's managed senior care communities in Michigan marks a significant milestone in senior care, demonstrating the power of VR to provide innovative solutions to challenging societal problems, thus empowering seniors to live fuller, more engaging lives.
