In the large living room of the establishment, the residents who can and wish to do so, come in turn to put on a virtual reality helmet. Elise Delattre, the social life coordinator of the Norman house
(Bridge group) in Saint-Martin-Osmonville (Seine-Maritime) asks Alina, 76, what she would like to see. After discussion, the choice fell on a video of a show at the winter circus in Paris.
Helmet on her head, Alina comments: “there are lights, dancers” she exclaims before humming the song performed by the circus orchestra. The immersive video lasts less than 10 minutes. At the end, the retiree is all smiles. “It’s beautiful, it’s well done! We see as if we were close, it’s better than on TV” she concludes.
© Radio France
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Benedict Robin
The enthusiasm is shared by Marion, the granddaughter of another resident who – she – took a dog sled ride at the same time as her grandmother because the establishment has two virtual reality helmets that can be used at the same time. “It’s good for the people who are here who don’t go out much anymore to change the landscape. It’s a way to escape“comments the young woman.
And indeed, the catalog of videos offered by the company Lumeen
account dozens of different videos on various themes which can allow residents to travel to Venice, Egypt, attend a concert, discover the landscapes of Iceland or closer to us the Baie de Somme. “It is an entertainment that allows residents to be easily taken to another place” emphasizes Elise Delattre for whom these tools also have a therapeutic aim.
A form of non-drug therapy
“It is a way to reduce stress, anxiety or even depressive symptoms“that some people can present adds Vincent Freychet, the director of the Maison Normande. “It’s a form of non-drug therapy“.
For the moment, these helmets and their usefulness are in rental and experimentation “for another fortnight“says Vincent Freychet. At the end it will be decided whether or not the establishment buys the material for good.
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