By Leah Conway
Residents at Aden View Care Home in Newsome, Huddersfield have been able to escape into virtual reality. Some watching immersive 360-degree football matches and others travelling the world!
Terry Hickson is a lifelong supporter of Huddersfield Town A.F.C., he has gone to matches since the age of five. Terry had a virtual front-row seat to watch a 360-degree view of a past match of The Terriers take on Fulham FC back in 2017. As well as the match, Terry was taken on a behind-the-scenes tour and then took his pitch-side virtual seat to experience the match.
He said: “I loved being able to experience a football match again, particularly because it was a Huddersfield Town match.
“I started to watch and support The Terriers when I was about five. I enjoy watching their matches so much I can’t pick a favourite. There are too many qualities to each one. It’s too hard to choose.
“The VR experience was unreal and fantastic. I can’t wait to take my grandson, Billy, to a proper match when we’re allowed again. I can’t forget to buy the sweets for him either.”
Aden View Care Home resident, Terry Hickson, 78, at a virtual reality Huddersfield Town A.F.C Match
Other residents at Aden View Care Home experienced VR adventures too. Frank Jackson, 93, chose to revisit his lifelong love of sailing. Frank was an avid swimmer up until the age of 88 and travelled England’s waterways on canal boats for over 40 years. He loved to sail through places like Dewsbury, York, and Blackpool. Frank also loved to sail; he loved to canoe along The Thames and sail on Windermere’s lakes. Frank loved to pass on his skills by teaching his children how to swim and sail.
The VR experiences brought back all these experiences to Frank, he said: “I was amazed that I was able to feel like I was sailing again. I used to sail avidly as a hobby in my earlier years.
“Blackpool was my favourite canal, and I was always my dream to buy a boat and sail it in Blackpool.”
Others chose to travel the world!
Douglas Crombie, 86, virtually returned to his hometown Edinburgh. Then he explored Iceland, where he was able to witness the wonders of the geysers and the Northern Lights.
In addition, resident James “Billy” Gill, 89, went on a virtual walking tour around Paris. He said: “It was amazing to feel like I was walking again without a frame. The views were fantastic.”
Aden View Care Home resident, Douglas Crombie, 86, with photos from his virtual trips to his hometown Edinburgh and to Iceland.
Aden View Care Home resident, James “Billy” Gill, 89, with a photo from his virtual reality tour of Paris.
The numerous wonderful adventures of residents at Aden view Care Home won’t stop here. Activities coordinator, Lauren Shipman said: “The virtual reality headset was a lot of fun for residents. But it also benefitted the residents in so many more ways than we can see.
“We’re all look forward to using the headset again and seeing where the residents want to go next.”
