Recently, the SilVR Adventures team visited our valued partners at Birchleigh Residential Care Centre in New Zealand to witness first-hand how virtual reality is reshaping resident engagement across all levels of care. From joyful moments of connection to deeply moving reflections, VR has become a tool for discovery, storytelling, and shared experience.
We spoke with several team members, including Linea, Melanie, and Chief Executive Malcolm Hendry, to understand how VR has impacted both their work and the lives of their residents.
“It just expands the activities and the experiences we can give them,” says Linea, Activities Coordinator. As a newcomer to Birchleigh, she’s already witnessed how virtual reality can unlock personal stories and meaningful moments with residents. One particularly touching moment involved a resident who lit up at the suggestion of exploring Egypt in VR, leading him to share stories of a long-forgotten trip with the Scouts.
“It was a really good conversation starter,” Linea says. “It helped paint a bigger picture of who he is… what was significant to him in life.” For Linea and the team, VR is not just about seeing new places — it’s about reconnecting with old ones and rediscovering personal histories.
“All of our residents who’ve used it have engaged really well… They enjoy it and look forward to each session.”
– Malcolm Hendry, Chief Executive
Birchleigh offers three levels of care: rest home, dementia, and hospital-level support. Chief Executive Malcolm Hendry explains that the goal of introducing VR was simple — to offer residents the opportunity to see and experience more, regardless of their mobility or health needs.
“Across all three levels of care, we’ve seen really good engagement,” he shares. “The technology is easy to access, and residents find the headsets comfortable to use.” Malcolm adds that initial hesitation from some residents quickly turned to excitement. “They enjoy it and look forward to each session when the VR headsets come out.”
Melanie, also an Activities Coordinator, describes a typical VR session as something that lifts moods, generates conversation, and fosters social interaction. A recent session took residents to China to walk along the Great Wall, followed by an African Safari — a crowd favourite. The short, immersive videos make it easy for staff to rotate headsets among groups, while sparking lively chatter that continues well beyond the activity.
“We’ve got a lot of happier residents when we do virtual reality. It helps improve their emotional mood. Even at lunch, they’re still talking about it.”
– Melanie, Activities Coordinator
One of the most powerful moments came during an ANZAC-themed session with the “Veterans We Salute You” video. Two residents became emotional, and one was so moved that he returned to his room to retrieve a photo album filled with family wartime photos. What began as a virtual experience turned into a heartfelt reminiscing session, full of stories, memories, and shared reflection.
Humour and light-hearted moments also abound — like the time a resident, completely immersed in a video, accidentally poked her neighbour while trying to point out a virtual animal. The entire room burst into laughter.
From discovery to emotional healing, Birchleigh’s VR journey demonstrates the wide-reaching benefits of immersive technology in aged care. Whether it’s revisiting meaningful places, igniting conversation, or simply sharing a laugh, SilVR Adventures is proud to support Birchleigh in creating moments that matter.
These are the stories that remind us why we do what we do — empowering care teams to deliver personalised, joyful, and memorable experiences every day.
