A Virtual Reality Program for Nursing Home Residents With Physical Disabilities

This project will evaluate how well the immersive virtual reality psychological program works in residential care homes and how it can be used in everyday practice. We will test its effects on mood, well-being, social connection, and related outcomes, while also examining what helps or hinders delivery in real-world settings, including any adaptations needed to make routine use feasible. It is needed to close the gap between success shown in controlled research and the realities of daily care, where staffing, management support, and diverse resident needs can affect results. By studying effectiveness and implementation together, we can learn whether the program works across different homes and how to sustain it over time. Residents may benefit through improved mood, well-being, and feelings of social support. Care homes may gain an engaging, adaptable activity that fits limited mobility and sensory needs, and the broader community and policymakers may receive practical guidance to implement, scale, and maintain an evidence-based mental health program for older adults in residential care.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 60 years or above * Current resident of a residential care home * Physical disability indicated by a Modified Barthel Index (MBI) score ≤ 90 (i.e., moderately dependent or worse) Exclusion Criteria: * Probable dementia, defined using the Chinese version of the 10-item Abbreviated Mental Test, with age and education adjusted cut-off scores * Severe visual impairment, defined as best-corrected visual acuity \< 6/60 * Severe hearing impairment, indicated by a failed whisper voice test \[27\], * Bilateral upper-limb paralysis, defined by a Medical Research Council Muscle Power Scale score \< 4 * Participation in any virtual reality program within the past six months.