KYLE RAND, CO-FOUNDER & CEO, RENDEVER -
VIRTUAL REALITY (AND SMILES) FOR SENIORS
Social isolation has a profound negative effect on our mental and physical health. Many of us experienced the effects of this first-hand during the height of the pandemic. But for millions of senior citizens, there is no escape from social isolation as they get older. The impact is devastating, often resulting in increased rates of depression and anxiety and an increased risk of stroke, heart disease, and dementia. Kyle Rand has made it his life’s work to help seniors feel less alone and make aging a lot easier for all of us. He’s Co-Founder and CEO of Rendever, a virtual reality platform that’s designed specifically for seniors. In senior living communities across the U.S., Canada, and Australia, older adults are using Rendever’s VR platform to travel the world, revisit their past, get fit, swim with dolphins, see the Aurora Borealis, and even climb Mount Everest.
Kyle joins the podcast to talk about why VR is such a powerful and promising technology to combat social isolation in older adults, helping to create connection, community, and joy through positive shared experiences. He also shares what it’s like to be a “longevity entrepreneur” in the AgeTech space – and the massive opportunities that exist to create social and economic impact for our growing aging population.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE TO LEARN:
- What seniors can “see” and “do” using Rendever’s VR platform, the positive reactions they have to it, and how VR can help with memory, connection, and cognition
- What research from the MIT AgeLab and the National Institute on Aging is revealing about VR’s positive impact on seniors’ health, wellbeing, and ability to trust others
- How Rendever puts seniors, their families, and caregivers at the center of its product and UX strategy – and why, when designing for this older demographic, it’s critical to “reduce friction and add joy”
- Some of the ways Rendever is expanding its core VR product into other areas and applications
- Are we finally starting to see a shift towards more VC investment in AgeTech?
- New and promising AgeTech innovations (e.g., robotics) that could improve our lives in the years ahead
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