VR therapy for seniors rolling out to 150 living communities in the U.S.

Something remarkable is unfolding in senior living communities across the U.S. Mynd Immersive, together with Select Rehabilitation, HTC VIVE, and AT&T, is shaking up traditional therapy by bringing cutting-edge immersive technology to over 150 senior care facilities. That's no small feat — it's the largest rollout of Extended Reality (XR) therapies in the history of senior care. With this first wave alone, more than 45,000 residents are stepping into a new world of healing and engagement.

Chris Brickler, co-founder and CEO of Mynd Immersive, captured the excitement perfectly: "We envisioned early on that Virtual Reality would profoundly enhance the quality of life and health outcomes for seniors." Fast forward to today, and it's not just a dream — it's daily reality.

How does it work?

At the heart of this breakthrough is the MyndXR platform, a featherweight, user-friendly system powered by the HTC VIVE XR Elite headset. It wraps seniors in a safe, immersive world that blends Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR).

Here's what it brings to the table:

• Therapists use virtual environments for strength training, improving balance, and helping with gait and mobility.
• Patients engage in tasks that boost range of motion, spatial awareness, and everyday living skills.
• Cognitive exercises keep the mind sharp while emotional and spiritual programs uplift the soul.

Anna Wolfe, CEO of Select Rehabilitation, summed it up neatly: "Our therapists can now work on improving range of motion, strength building, gait training, spatial awareness, and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) through immersive environments that make rehabilitation both effective and enjoyable."

And let's not forget the therapists themselves — over 20,000 of them — who are getting new tools to make therapy not just effective but genuinely motivating for their patients.

Why does it matter?

Aging is a universal challenge, with forecasts showing over 1.6 billion people worldwide will be 65 or older by 2050. Traditional therapy methods can sometimes feel routine, even discouraging. Enter XR therapies, flipping the script by making rehabilitation lively and engaging.

Cher Wang, Co-Founder and Chairwoman of HTC, put it beautifully: "It's inspiring to see our technology bring healing and joy into the lives of older adults."

The numbers tell the story. With an average rollout of 25 communities per week, this isn't a slow trickle — it's a tidal wave of change. What was once considered futuristic is now firmly part of everyday care, giving seniors new ways to reconnect with their bodies, minds, and even the joy of living.

The context

Mynd Immersive isn't new to this game. They've been pushing the boundaries of what's possible in digital health, working closely with heavyweights like Stanford, the VA, and the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) to build the largest data sets at the crossroads of aging and XR technology.

Their secret? Smart partnerships:

• Select Rehabilitation brings a nationwide network of over 21,000 clinicians.
• HTC VIVE provides the sleek, comfortable headsets.
• AT&T ensures reliable, blazing-fast connectivity.
• A roster of spatial content creators keeps the experiences fresh and engaging.

Since their founding in 1998, Select Rehabilitation has been a stalwart in therapy services, with footprints in thousands of sites across 46 states and D.C. Now, they're helping to create what they call "the therapy room of the future - today."

As this new era of immersive therapeutics unfolds, one thing's clear: the future of senior care isn't just bright — it's brilliantly immersive.