Share the Joy of Virtual Reality this Christmas with Garden Village
Loneliness affects 1 in 4 older Australians, and this Christmas, we invite individuals, corporate supporters and businesses to join us in spreading joy to the residents of aged care in Port Macquarie through the magic of Virtual Reality armchair travel. Your generous support can make a significant impact on the health, wellbeing, and happiness of these individuals during the holiday season, addressing the challenges of loneliness and social isolation.
Brighten Lives in Local Nursing Homes
The Garden Village team has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of virtual reality in brightening an individual’s day. These immersive experiences provide a window to the world and also serve as conversation starters, helping people develop meaningful relationships within ageing communities.
Our 2024 Goal: Bring Virtual Reality to Port Macquarie
In 2024, our goal is to bring the wonders of Virtual Reality armchair travel to the residents of Port Macquarie, enhancing their overall quality of life. This Christmas, with your generous support, we aim to make a difference by tackling loneliness and social isolation head-on, brightening the days of residents throughout the year.
How Your Support Makes a Difference
- $48 Solo Adventure: Gives one resident an armchair travel experience
- $280 Adventure Delight: Provides six residents with a virtual reality armchair travel
- $750 Tech4Good: Purchases a new VR headset for use in the community
- $1,000 A Virtual Library: Covers the cost of a virtual library of experiences for residents to enjoy
- $2,500+ Sponsor the Virtual Reality Program at Garden Village
Jo Lindsay, Nurse Unit Manager, emphasizes, “It’s a wonderful program for residents, giving them the opportunity and joy of re-living past adventures and experiencing new virtual ones.”
The Magic of Virtual Reality in Port Macquarie
Virtual reality opens up a whole new world of immersive armchair travel for residents right here in Port Macquarie. These engaging experiences have a positive impact on the wellbeing of older adults, reducing social isolation, and promoting social connectivity. Headsets can be used individually or in groups, immersing residents in a rich 360-degree, 3D environment that stimulates memories and improves cognition.
Support the Campaign
While there are numerous clinical benefits to group virtual reality sessions, at the heart of it is the joy, laughter, and smiles it brings to care recipients.
Visit the Virtual Reality Campaign website to watch the video and witness the magical moments experienced by 103-year-old Grace and 90 year old Lucia as they embrace technology at Garden Village.
Virtual Reality with SilVR Adventures
At 103 years young, Grace embraces tech for good at Garden Village. She enjoys using the Virtual Reality headsets from SilVR Adventures. Grace recently experienced a virtual reality trip to Africa, witnessing giraffes, elephants, and African wildlife. From Victoria Falls to Mount Kilimanjaro, the residents explored the desert plains, encountering penguins, lions, and elephants.
-“My word, what an adventure, it was amazing.”
-“It was very nice, I saw things I’ve never seen before.”
-“The elephant was massive and came straight toward me.”
Tech tools for good supporting residents like 90 year old Lucia
Lucia turned 90 this year and celebrated with family and friends at Garden Village. She was born 1933 and grew up in Sicily. It was 23 years later when the first national television show was broadcast in Australia. Through TV, people watched Neil Armstrong take his first steps on the moon in 1969. In Lucia’s 90th year, she experienced the fun of SMART Boards and the magic of Virtual Reality at Garden Village. These tech tools give aged care residents new, exciting and transformative experiences. As Lucia said about the VR trip to Africa “It’s something I’ve never experienced before. I like it.” Lucia and her friend Marilyn chatted about their virtual reality experience and look forward to the next armchair travel adventure.
Many residents grew up in a non-digital era, and those aged 65 and above remain Australia’s least digitally-included group.
“Irene was quite nervous about our virtual reality experience, amazing how comforting words and the touch of a hand turned this into a wonderful experience that Irene talked about for days” said Recreational Activities Officer Ann Marie Vercoe
Retirement Living resident Daphne who volunteers in Aged Care said “I visited ancient Egypt in VR last week and can see how such technology can brighten the day for aged care residents, enjoy!”
Supporting people with dementia to stay mentally active.
CEO Craig Wearne said “We hope Garden Village Port Macquarie and our residents can continue the journey into the world of Virtual Reality. We are transforming business operations with new technology over the next 3 years as part of our strategic planning and it’s fantastic we can also bring experiences with technology to residents with dementia. The world of smart tech is exciting and we look forward to embracing innovative tech to best support resident engagement, health and wellbeing.
This holiday season we’re raising funds to bring more magical moments to Garden Village through Virtual Reality. With your generous support, we can improve health, wellbeing and happiness during the holiday season.
