Virtual Reality helping reduce isolation in Southland

At HealthCare New Zealand, we know social connection is essential to wellbeing.

For many older New Zealanders, particularly those living in rural communities, staying connected can become more difficult over time.

It might not be obvious at first – fewer conversations at the kitchen table, fewer opportunities to get out into the community, and more distance from family and friends. Over time, these small changes can add up.

Bringing people together, virtually

HealthCare New Zealand is proud to support Age Concern Southland by funding an innovative Virtual Reality (VR) social engagement programme designed to bring people together in new ways.

At the heart of this initiative is a simple idea: technology, when used thoughtfully, can help spark memory, create shared enjoyment, and strengthen social connection.

Using VR headsets and the Rendever platform, designed for shared VR experiences, small groups of participants will take part in immersive experiences that are both visually engaging and socially meaningful. These are not solitary experiences, but shared moments – experienced together, talked about together, and remembered together.

Delivered through Age Concern Southland and supported by rural outreach groups, the programme will extend its reach to older people who may otherwise face barriers to social connection.

Taking the experience on the road

HealthCare New Zealand funding has supported a portable equipment kit, including five VR headsets, a tablet, and carry cases, allowing the programme to move easily between community venues and rural locations.

The experiences are designed to be familiar, uplifting, and enjoyable. Participants can explore bucket-list destinations, revisit meaningful places and memories, share family moments, enjoy light-hearted activities, and experience immersive content that encourages conversation and connection.

For some, this may mean revisiting a childhood hometown, exploring a place they have always wanted to see, or simply sharing something new with others in the room.

What makes this programme powerful is not just the technology, but the response it creates – the laughter, the storytelling, the shared recognition, and the way people open up through shared experience.

In rural Southland, where distance can quietly limit opportunities for connection, creating these shared moments is especially meaningful.

At HealthCare New Zealand, we believe innovation matters most when it helps people feel more connected to each other. Digital tools like VR are not about replacing real-world connection, but about creating new ways to support it.

We are proud to support Age Concern Southland in bringing this initiative to life, and look forward to seeing the moments of joy, conversation, and connection it creates.

Find out more about the incredible work being done by Age Concern Southland here.  Age Concern Southland – Age Concern Southland