About the project

EldersVR is a Virtual Reality platform addressing isolation among seniors by enabling immersive exploration from home. Users can visit cities, nature reserves, museums and distant destinations otherwise difficult to reach.

The initiative emerged from the 2016 “Hacking Elderly” hackathon in The Hague, where Hack The Planet created the initial prototype and won. It now offers meaningful reconnection experiences for older adults seeking joy and emotional wellbeing.

Context & challenge

The Netherlands’ elderly demographic has grown since the 1950s and will become the largest population group within decades. Yet loneliness persists as a critical social issue — more than half of people over 55 experience some form of loneliness, with over one million Dutch seniors officially categorized as lonely.

Reduced mobility impairs social maintenance, narrowing networks and fostering isolation, depression and anxiety.

Solution

EldersVR counters these effects through engaging VR experiences reconnecting users with distant places and narratives. The platform facilitates shared moments of wonder and conversation, providing seniors with mobility or social constraints an accessible, supportive means of remaining engaged.