Improving Virtual Reality
for Elderly Users with Dementia
ROLE
UX Researcher
TEAM
Multi-disciplinary University Team
DURATION
3 Months
Project Overview
This university-led project explored how virtual reality (VR) could enhance the lives of elderly individuals living with dementia. Our goal was to create a more inclusive, calming, and cognitively supportive VR experience tailored to their unique challenges. Over a 3-month research and design sprint, we identified opportunities to support emotional well-being, reduce social isolation, and enable safe, meaningful engagement with digital environments.
While reminiscence therapy has long been used to support cognitive health, it typically lacks interactivity and personalization. By leveraging the immersive potential of VR, we set out to elevate this therapeutic experience — transforming memory recall into an intuitive, multisensory journey.
Through contextual inquiries, interviews, and a literature review, we found existing reminiscence therapy methods to be beneficial, but static. VR showed strong potential for triggering personal memories, enhancing mood, and encouraging social interaction while addressing the unique accessibility needs of elderly users with cognitive decline.
Problem & Context
Older adults with dementia often experience a combination of cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges that limit their engagement with conventional technologies. Through our research, we identified three core areas of difficulty:
Limited communication and social isolation
"Sometimes I go days without talking to anyone. It would be nice to just have someone around — even virtually."
Declining memory and task navigation difficulties
"I forget what I was doing halfway through… too many buttons confuse me."
Difficulty engaging with conventional technologies
"Most devices are too complicated. I need something simple that doesn't make me feel lost."
These challenges highlighted the need for a technology solution that could provide meaningful engagement while accommodating cognitive limitations, physical constraints, and emotional safety requirements.
My Role & Team
As the UX Researcher on a multi-disciplinary university team, I was responsible for leading the human-centered research process and translating insights into actionable design recommendations. My key contributions included:
- • Conducting interviews and contextual research with early-stage dementia patients and caregivers
- • Synthesizing findings to uncover user needs and behavioral patterns
- • Mapping emotional journeys to identify design opportunities
- • Collaborating with design teammates to co-create inclusive interaction patterns
- • Developing safety measures and risk mitigation strategies
- • Presenting findings to stakeholders and faculty for evaluation
Our team was composed of students in interaction design, psychology, and computing science, working collaboratively with faculty and healthcare partners. This interdisciplinary approach allowed us to address both technical feasibility and therapeutic effectiveness.
Key Research Insights
Through our research process, we uncovered three critical insights that would inform our design approach:
1. Social Isolation & Loneliness
Many elderly individuals reported feeling disconnected from others. They expressed a deep need for emotional connection, meaningful activities, and easy-to-use tools for engagement.
"Sometimes I go days without talking to anyone. It would be nice to just have someone around — even virtually."
2. Cognitive Decline & Interface Complexity
Users found it difficult to recall steps or navigate complex UIs. This confirmed the importance of clear guidance, memory support, and low-friction interactions.
"I forget what I was doing halfway through… too many buttons confuse me."
3. Potential of VR in Reminiscence Therapy
Academic and clinical studies supported VR"s role in stimulating memory, especially when environments mirrored real or familiar places. Users showed positive emotional responses to immersive, familiar environments.
"I saw the beach I used to visit with my family — it made me smile and remember the smell of the sea."
Design Opportunities
Based on our research insights, we identified five key design opportunities that could address the core challenges faced by elderly users with dementia:
Support Social Connection
Through chat features, multiplayer modes, or shared spaces with caregivers to reduce isolation and enable meaningful interaction.
Enable Personalized Memory Recall
By recreating meaningful locations, incorporating familiar music, or displaying family scenes to trigger positive memories and emotional responses.
Incorporate Cognitive Prompts
Using spaced repetition, memory cues, and simple task flows to support cognitive function without overwhelming users.
Design for Accessibility
With seated experiences, large font sizes, voice options, and simplified gestures to accommodate physical limitations.
Create Emotionally Positive Content
Through curated visuals, calming themes, and non-triggering content that promotes well-being and emotional safety.
Design Principles
To guide our design decisions, we established five core principles that would ensure our VR solution met the unique needs of elderly users with dementia:
Cognitive Simplicity
Reduce cognitive load by simplifying navigation, using clear labels, and guiding users with prompts
Physical Accessibility
Support seated use, minimize head movement, and accommodate limited dexterity or vision
Emotional Safety
Avoid content that may evoke distressing memories; incorporate familiarity and positivity
User Empowerment
Avoid stereotypes, build confidence, and allow self-paced exploration
Personalization
Let users or caregivers customize scenes, music, and themes to enhance relevance
Risks & Mitigation Strategies
Designing VR experiences for elderly users with dementia required careful consideration of potential risks and proactive mitigation strategies:
Potential Risks
- • Nausea: Motion sickness from VR experience
- • Falls or disorientation: Physical safety concerns
- • Over-immersion: Difficulty distinguishing reality
- • Emotional distress: Triggering negative memories
Mitigation Strategies
- • Gradual introduction: User education and short sessions
- • Seated experiences: Safe play spaces and supervision
- • Reality anchors: Regular check-ins and time limits
- • Content curation: Caregiver control over experiences
Outcome & Reflection
Our final concept envisioned a VR experience where users could revisit places from their past, explore familiar environments, and interact with personal content in a calm, accessible space. While we didn't fully prototype the VR application, our research outputs and interaction models laid the groundwork for future development.
Inclusive Research Leadership
Strengthened my ability to lead empathy-driven research with vulnerable populations
Healthcare Design Expertise
Developed new skills in accessibility advocacy and designing for cognitive variance
Cross-functional Collaboration
Enhanced ability to work with non-design disciplines including psychology and healthcare
Risk Management Planning
Gained experience in identifying and mitigating design risks in sensitive contexts
This project strengthened my ability to lead inclusive, empathy-driven research and work cross-functionally with non-design disciplines. The experience I gained in accessibility advocacy, risk mitigation planning, and designing for cognitive variance continues to inform my approach to health tech and aging-focused projects.