The role of immersive virtual reality in geriatric rehabilitation

Abstract

As the global population continues to age, virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool in geriatric rehabilitation, offering benefits across physical, cognitive, and psychological domains. This narrative review synthesizes the current literature on VR applications in geriatric adult care, encompassing areas such as fall prevention, balance training, gait rehabilitation, cognitive enhancement, and emotional well-being. VR enhances motivation through gamification and provides real-time feedback in safe, controlled environments. This review explores key challenges—including cost, motion sickness, and usability—and highlights emerging opportunities such as telerehabilitation and tailored programs for individuals with dementia. In contrast to previous reviews, this work places a stronger emphasis on psychological aspects, personalized in-home use, and clinical applicability. VR holds transformative potential to improve outcomes and quality of life in aging populations.