Residents of Sunrise Senior Living in Naperville experienced new places and perspectives – virtually.
Senior Simulators offers older adults the opportunity to travel the world, visit historical landmarks, experience art and nature, and even attend concerts or sporting events—all from the comfort of their couch.
“It’s where we provide virtual reality experiences to seniors in assisted living facilities,” said Lukas Keane, a junior at Naperville North High School.
Virtual reality headsets allow seniors to travel anywhere in the world
The program was the brainchild of students on the Teen Advisory Board at the Alive Center, a nonprofit dedicated to providing resources, support, and opportunities for teens. The high school students brought 15 Meta Quest Pro VR devices to the senior living facility.
“The idea of helping out seniors came up and we were thinking, you know, what’s not an everyday technology or something really new that we can bring to them,” said Sidharth Brahmandam, a sophomore at Naperville North High School.
This program was made possible through a $4,000 donation from AI company Seraf. The group also received a $500 grant from the Teen Philanthropy Initiative with KidsMatter, which they plan to use for future expenses.
“You see their faces light up, and now they’re in their bucket list area that they’ve never been to before,” said Debabandya Dash, a sophomore at Naperville Central High School.
And working with the seniors benefits students too.
“I’m 16, but I spoke to someone who’s turning 100 in a couple months. That really puts life into perspective for me a little bit,” said Dash.
The future of Senior Simulators
The group looks to expand the program into more senior living centers, and hopes other students or student groups take up the idea of connecting older adults with virtual reality.
“I think the reason why we did this is because there’s a lot of focus and the youth and you know, a lot of different groups in Naperville, but I feel like seniors often get overlooked,” said Brahmandam.
Whether flying high, or taking a stroll, Senior Simulators gives new experiences.
As one senior attested, “everybody needs to do this.”
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