LARGO, Fla. — From the Grand Canyon to the African Savannah to the Great Barrier Reef, virtual reality is changing the lives of seniors at Cypress Palms Senior Living Community in Largo.
Their latest virtual trip takes the seniors out of Cypress Palms and into the sky on a hot-air balloon ride.
“My head was going in all different directions because I didn’t want to miss anything. It was exciting to watch,” said resident Judith Nelson.
Jessica Baranowski is in charge of the program and wanted ABC Action News to see firsthand how beneficial it can be.
“As we age, we experience a lot of loneliness and isolation, so through this program, our residents have really made some meaningful connections,” said Baranowski.
For many of these residents it’s a chance to check off bucket list items they may have given up on.
"At this point in my life, I really cannot travel anywhere, so to have this available is amazing,” said Nelson.
Baranowski said the program is a big help in keeping the residents' cognitive skills sharp.
For Everett Dewitt, it’s a trip down memory lane: He was on a hot air balloon years ago, and he said it helped jog his memory.
“It did, and I look forward to going again,” said Dewitt.
“It brings back all those memories that they can share with the other members of the community,” said Baranowski.
Not all journeys have to be epic adventures. For Wade Barber, this program has been sentimental.
“I had the opportunity to go back to where I grew up, the house we lived in, and that was interesting,” said Barber.
Baranowski said one of the best parts is taking requests. Just thinking about all the possibilities is a healthy exercise for these residents.
“When my husband was alive we did a lot of traveling, and the one thing I wanted to do and he wasn’t interested in, I wanted to go to Alaska,” said Nelson.
“This is innovative technology that is needed in senior living communities,” said Baranowski.
