Virtual reality program unveiled at Halifax seniors’ facility as part of pain management

Seniors at a Halifax continuing care facility will now be able to visit Nova Scotia landmarks without leaving the comfort of their chairs.

Northwood, a not-for-profit organization in Atlantic Canada, and the province unveiled its new virtual reality programming Wednesday.

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Residents Maxine McDonough and Gloria MacMillan were among the first to try the headsets.

“I love it. It’s relaxing and when I seen the ocean floor, I thought, ‘Oh!’ And it just felt like I was there, walking on the shore,” McDonough said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I love it. It's relaxing and when I seen the ocean floor, I thought, 'Oh!' And it just felt like I was there, walking on the shore," McDonough said.

MacMillan was impressed by how realistic the videos were.

“It’s the same as you being right there. You’re not sitting in a chair and watching television,” she said.

The project was launched as part of Seniors Week and was the result of a grant from the Department of Seniors.

Northwood residents and older adults in the community will now be able to view a collection of 360-degree videos featuring Nova Scotia landmarks and places of cultural significance. There are 16 scenes in the virtual reality headset and they were selected with the help of seniors from across Nova Scotia.

WATCH: Try the virtual reality program below

It’s hoped the videos will be particularly helpful for seniors with cognitive and mobility challenges. Northwood also intends to use the virtual reality program for its wound care treatment, by using the technology as a form of pain management for residents.

“Maybe they’re in the middle of a ceilidh, or a pow wow and they’ll watch that while the clinical team is actually performing the wound care. It’s actually shown to reduce pain by 75 per cent for the client,” said Natasha Handspiker, the manager of community engagement at Northwood.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Maybe they're in the middle of a ceilidh, or a pow wow and they'll watch that while the clinical team is actually performing the wound care. It's actually shown to reduce pain by 75 per cent for the client," said Natasha Handspiker, the manager of community engagement at Northwood.

The videos, which were shot and produced by Edward Mowbray of Quirk 360, includes footage of The Bluenose II in Lunenburg, a Mi’kmaw smudging ceremony and a choral performance at St. Georges Church in Halifax.

“In the space between technology and aging, there is so much innovative potential — and this project is a great example of that,” said Leo Glavine, the minister responsible for seniors, in a news release.

“Bringing unique, local experiences to Northwood residents through virtual reality technology is an amazing leap forward in Nova Scotia, and we couldn’t be more excited. This really has the potential to enhance the quality of life for these older adults.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Bringing unique, local experiences to Northwood residents through virtual reality technology is an amazing leap forward in Nova Scotia, and we couldn't be more excited. This really has the potential to enhance the quality of life for these older adults."

Northwood also plans to partner with researchers and entrepreneurs to show how virtual reality can improve the lives of those living with cognitive and physical challenges.

— With a file from Alexa MacLean