Using a Nature-Based Virtual Reality Environment for Improving Mood States and Cognitive Engagement in Older Adults:...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Environmental Psychology

Background:

• Exposure to nature benefits older adults' mood and cognitive health.
• Limited access to nature can be supplemented with nature-based imagery.
• Virtual reality (VR) offers a novel platform for delivering nature experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of an interactive VR nature environment for improving mood in older adults.
• To assess older adults' attitudes toward VR technology.
• To explore differences in VR response based on cognitive and physical disability status.

Main Methods:

• Developed an interactive VR environment with 360-degree nature videos and digital features.
• Recruited 50 older adults for VR sessions, measuring mood and VR attitudes pre- and post-intervention.
• Controlled for age, education, and nature exposure; analyzed differences between participants with and without cognitive impairments (CIs) and physical disabilities.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed in "good" and "calm" mood dimensions post-VR exposure.
• Attitudes toward VR technology also showed significant improvement.
• Participants with physical disabilities experienced greater mood benefits compared to those without; no significant differences were found for participants with CIs.

Conclusions:

• VR provides a cost-effective, noninvasive method to enhance older adults' well-being.
• VR nature experiences are particularly beneficial in clinical and recreational settings with limited real-world nature access.
• User feedback offers valuable insights for optimizing VR design for older adults.