Virtual Reality for Health and Social Connection in Ageing Societies
A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 54
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As populations age worldwide, societies are seeking innovative approaches to promote health, independence, and social connection among older adults. Virtual Reality (VR) and other immersive technologies are emerging as powerful tools that can support physical rehabilitation, cognitive stimulation, reminiscence, and intergenerational engagement. These technologies also hold great promise for reducing loneliness, enhancing emotional wellbeing, and creating inclusive digital communities.
This Special Issue aims to bring together interdisciplinary scholarship and innovative practice to explore how immersive technologies that can enhance physical, cognitive, and emotional health foster social connection and reduce isolation in ageing societies. We welcome contributions from researchers, practitioners, designers, and policymakers across disciplines such as gerontology, public health, social work, psychology, engineering, and science and technology.
Key themes include but are not limited to
- VR applications for cognitive stimulation, rehabilitation, and reminiscence;
- Enhancing emotional wellbeing and social inclusion through VR;
- Designing age-friendly VR experiences;
- VR in dementia care and long-term care settings;
- Ethics, accessibility, and digital literacy in immersive technology adoption;
- Policy and practice implications for healthy ageing.
Dr. Carol Hok Ka Ma
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- virtual reality
- health
- wellbeing
- social connection
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