Across retirement villages and care homes in New Zealand, SilVR Adventures is proving that virtual reality can do more than entertain — it can unlock joy, stir deep memories, and transform aged care.
Their recent tour across New Zealand featured powerful sessions at Summerset Retirement Villages, Nurse Maude, Birchleigh Residential Care, and Cambridge Resthaven — each one filled with heartfelt moments that underscored the profound impact of truly personalised care.
At Summerset St John’s in Auckland, residents journeyed to Italy and China, reconnecting with memories or fulfilling lifelong dreams. Orquidea Tamayo Mortera, National Recreation Lead, spoke of VR’s ability to spark “gleams” — those rare moments of pure joy. Staff also witnessed non-verbal residents begin to speak, smile, and engage in ways they hadn’t for months.
In Christchurch, Nurse Maude’s activities coordinator Evette described how SilVR’s tailored experiences brought calm, wonder, and conversation to residents with limited mobility or advanced dementia. Whether revisiting Notre Dame or strolling the Taj Mahal, VR allowed residents to explore, reflect, and reconnect.
At Birchleigh Residential Care Centre in Dunedin, Chief Executive Malcolm Hendry praised the technology’s accessibility and impact across rest homes, dementia, and hospital-level care. VR sparked powerful storytelling — one resident relived a childhood trip to Egypt with the Scouts, while another was moved to share wartime family photos during an ANZAC-themed session.
At Cambridge Resthaven in Hamilton, staff witnessed firsthand how VR could ease anxiety, lift moods, and open doors to emotional healing. Whether travelling to New Zealand’s South Island or watching animals on safari, residents queued for their turn to “visit” the world.
Through it all, the common thread was clear: meaningful technology, delivered with empathy, can elevate aged care to something extraordinary. Read the full articles here.
Join the Movement
Now is the perfect time to explore what VR can do for your care community. SilVR is offering exclusive EOFY deals before 30 June 2025 including:
- Free VR Headsets
- Deliver personalised care with our on-demand Google Earth Integration
- Interactive Cognitive VR with Simulated Activities of Daily Living
- Content in 30 languages
- 360 Cameras + Custom VR Content Production, so families and carers can become VR storytellers for loved ones too!
Ready to get started? Visit silvradventures.com.au and quote promo code ‘IA2025’
