Examining Older Adults' Preferences for Virtual Reality Applications to Support Social and Cognitive Engagement

ObjectiveTo assess older adults' experience, attitudes, and interests toward virtual reality (VR) applications as part of an early phase in the user-centered focused development of the Cognitive Activity Social Technology (CAST) VR system.BackgroundVR offers opportunities to enhance health and well-being in older adults by promoting cognitive, activity, social, and technology engagement. However, limited research has examined older adults' user experience and perceptions.MethodA multi-site study was conducted with 48 community-dwelling older adults aged 65-90. Participants interacted with 16 VR applications through hands-on sessions and first-person video demonstrations. They rated user experience, overall attitudes toward VR, and interest in using VR for various activities.ResultsMost applications were rated as enjoyable, interesting, and easy to use, with minimal reports of physical discomfort. Participants expressed the greatest interest in VR for art, cultural experiences, education, entertainment, and travel, while showing less interest in VR-based social interaction and fitness. Overall, participants found VR technology to be enjoyable and easy to use, but were neutral about VR's usefulness, likely due to the productivity-oriented nature of the usefulness measure.ConclusionThe findings demonstrated the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of VR applications for cognitive and activity engagement among older adults.ApplicationResults highlight the importance of designing VR experiences that align with older adults' preferences and needs. Findings inform user-centered design of VR systems to enhance cognitive engagement, social connectivity, and well-being among older adults.