These are independent reviews of the products mentioned, but TIME receives a commission when purchases are made through affiliate links at no additional cost to the purchaser.
Early in the pandemic, when older Americans were physically isolated, Rendever CEO and co-founder Kyle Rand realized that virtual reality could help. In 2022, Rand’s team launched RendeverFit, a VR platform that offers three activities: paddling (similar to ping-pong), cycling, and painting. Seniors wear headsets, hold controllers, and watch one another’s progress on a leaderboard. “The last time I was at a community, we had staff from the kitchen bursting in, like, ‘What are you all laughing about?’” Rand says. RendeverFit is now being used in more than 400 senior facilities.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision