Easing the Difficulty of Choosing a Nursing Home: Usability and Acceptability of Immersive Virtual Reality as a Spatial Presentation Tool for Older Adults

Abstract

A suitable presentation of nursing home environments can assist older adults in efficiently understanding retirement living spaces and thereby making the right nursing home choice. This study focuses on exploring the potential of immersive virtual reality (IVR) applied to the display of nursing home environments. We compare IVR with photographs and 360° panoramas to detect the differences in presence, spatial perception, and technology acceptance among older adults. Findings suggest that IVR provides a more robust sense of presence and more accurate spatial estimation and detail memorization compared to the other two formats, and that there is a positive response at the level of perceived usefulness and willingness to use. In this study, the usability and acceptability of IVR as a spatial presentation tool for nursing homes was effectively demonstrated.

Keywords:

• Nursing home environments
• immersive virtual reality
• older persons
• usability
• acceptability

Acknowledgments

We extend our thanks to Xiaoying and Shengtanghe Streets for their support in the experimental activities, and to older adults who participated in the study and whose active participation contributed greatly to our research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 720yun, https://www.720yun.com/t/a8vkiyibg2l?scene_id=34446842/, last retrieved on May 2, 2024.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China (20BRK025) and the Zhejiang Provincial Key Lab for Healthy and Smart Kitchen System (2014E1004). We would like to express our sincere gratitude to Hangzhou Zi Zai Space Culture and Art Co. for providing the materials for this experiment.

Notes on contributors

Ying Wang

Ying Wang is a professor at Zhejiang Sci-tech University and the president of Universal Design Institute. Her interests include user-centered design and HCI. Her research is about how to help older adults bridge the digital divide. She is in charge of projects with the Chinese elderly demands.

Shasha Shen

Shasha Shen is currently a second-year graduate student at Universal Design Institute, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University. She explores the application of virtual technology in the elderly care service system. Her research areas include virtual reality, HCI, and spatial cognition.