Resthaven Marion Community Services has completed a trial of virtual reality (VR) to support clients with occupational therapy and physiotherapy programs.
The 10-week trial conducted in partnership with Adelaide-based health and aged-care VR company Add-Life explored how immersive activities could be incorporated into existing programs for clients living with conditions including Parkinson’s Disease and dementia.
Resthaven Marion Occupational Therapist, Sam Hearn, said the idea for the trial was first raised in 2025.
“When the Resthaven Community Wellness team approached us at Marion about the possibility of trialling the technology, I put my hand up to assist. ‘In August last year we met with Add-Life and started planning how the trial could work within our existing programs,” Mr Hearn said
“Since February, we’ve been using it with clients in short one-on-one sessions alongside their regular therapy activities.”
The VR headsets use hand-tracking capability, allowing participants to interact with a range of virtual environments and activities.
“Depending on individual goals and abilities, clients complete exercises focused on balance, coordination, mobility and hand-eye coordination, with activities including guided movement tasks and interactive games,” Mr Hearn said.
The trial involved around 20 – 25 clients from existing Parkinson’s and Falls and Balance (FAB) groups, with sessions generally running for about 15 – 20 minutes.
“Clients would come out for a short session to trial the VR activities. They’ve liked the variety of stepping away from their usual class activities to try something different.”
A client living with Parkinson’s disease and Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) said she “thoroughly enjoyed” the trial.
“The activities challenge me in a good way. You have to concentrate, move your arms and react to what’s happening, so it keeps both my mind and body active,” Anne said, noting she particularly enjoyed the immersive environments.
“I love the beach, so I enjoy the memories that brings back.”
The VR activities were originally developed for stroke rehabilitation, with the platform evolving over time and being adapted for aged care.
The platform captures movement data during sessions, including range of motion and flexibility measurements, generating an upper-body mobility report that can be reviewed by clinicians
Mr Hearn said the data, along with further development of a companion app that tracks full-body movements, could help clinicians track progress and inform future treatment planning.
According to survey feedback collected during the trial, many participants reported feeling calmer, more motivated or mentally refreshed after sessions.
Staff also observed increased engagement from some clients who may not usually participate as actively in exercise-based activities.
“We can see there are potential benefits and applications for some clients, particularly around engagement, movement and motivation,’ Mr Hearn said.
Resthaven is now looking at how VR technology could continue complementing existing therapy programs in the future.
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