Anchor residents experience Virtual Reality at Pemberley Place development

Life in Place from Anchor, England’s largest provider of specialist later living homes, provided the first Virtual Reality (VR) session as part of a new initiative at its Pemberley Place development in Bath. 

Taking place in March, the activity was delivered through a partnership between Anchor’s resident services wellbeing team and Ellia, a home-help and companionship service based in Gloucestershire. 

By experiencing VR, residents were able to visit other countries, watch wildlife and see live music all while remaining seated, with the VR display responding to natural movement. The technology is considered to enhance wellbeing, providing Anchor residents with the opportunity to virtually ‘travel’, revisit places that are now out of reach and engage in activities that have become a challenge. VR also promotes social connections through providing new shared experiences among participants.

Malcolm Miller, a resident at Pemberley Place, comments:

The session was an entirely new experience for me as I learned how to manoeuvre myself in the virtual reality space. I experienced swimming underwater while encountering creatures like sharks and humpback whales. I even saw a great white shark, and when I tried approaching it, I was immediately put in a cage – presumably for my own protection! I’m not a strong swimmer, so it was lovely being able to move around as if swimming slowly through the water – something I could never achieve in real life.

A community programme run by Ellia, Mind Journeys VR offers free sessions incorporated into Anchor’s Be Well 360 service, which supports residents to live a healthy, active and connected lifestyle. The holistic programme promotes five ways to wellbeing, including taking notice, learning and connecting with others. Alongside Mind Journeys, Ellia also provides the Good Neighbour Fund, gifting free home support to isolated or vulnerable people each quarter.

Brett Jenkins, Wellbeing Development Manager at Anchor comments:

We partnered with Ellia out of a shared conviction that people of all ages should have access to new experiences and connections with others. Mind Journeys VR provides an accessible way for our residents to travel the world and unlock new experiences. I’d especially like to thank Elizabeth Holla, Be Well 360 Wellbeing Advisor at Pemberley Place, whose facilitation and resident engagement were key to the session’s success, helping to bring community spirit to life. We look forward to developing our partnership with Ellia to continue providing engaging activities for later living communities.

Pemberley Place is one of Anchor’s leading later living developments, offering one- and two-bedroom shared ownership and rented apartments in Lansdown, the site of Lansdown Crescent in UNESCO-designated Bath. Exclusively for over-55s, the development provides access to communal facilities including a café and a hairdressing salon. Residents also benefit from extensive grounds including a landscaped garden and a seated patio area.

At Pemberley Place, 43 of the 72 apartments are for sale through the Older Persons Shared Ownership scheme, which allows buyers to purchase a share of the property and pay a reduced rent on the remaining portion. The other 29 homes are available as affordable rented properties.

To find out more about Pemberley Place, please visit: lifeinplace.org.uk or contact 01225 637 542.