Stisted care home gets residents using virtual reality

The Prince Edward Duke of Kent Court home, in Stisted, has brought in the technology to prompt conversations and help residents reminisce.

Bosses say it will be good for the general wellbeing of their residents and will help prevent them becoming isolated.

Resident Barbara Spalding said: "It was amazing being able to virtually go anywhere in the world and see the sights. It felt incredibly life like.

"Probably better that we saw the sharks virtually rather than in real life, don’t you think?"

Fellow resident Gregory Wood added: "It was breath-taking how real everything looked. I really felt like I was there in a different part of the world."

Virtual reality: Resident Greg Wood

The home's activities boss Dani Lane said: "They could visit different parts of the world without having to move from their armchair. They all said they couldn’t believe how life like it felt."

"It was especially lovely for some residents to experience things which they might not have been able to do for years, such as taking a dip in the sea.

"One resident was so entranced that she was trying to touch the animals and people that she could see.

"It proved to be a wonderful sensory experience for everyone, triggering some happy memories and prompting lots of lively conversation."