Senior living communities nationwide that use Rendever – a virtual reality program built to help reduce social isolation among seniors through shared experiences – are taking their residents to the best Irish places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, including McSorley’s on New York’s lower east side.
Rendever is overcoming social isolation through the power of virtual reality and shared experiences. From senior living communities to hospitals, their platform is being used to reduce depression and loneliness by fostering personal connections amongst populations where life has become limited. Participants in group sessions can check off bucket list items together, revisit meaningful places and share stories, stay engaged with family members, and more. The headsets are networked together so that residents can experience sessions together and interact with one another – this is what makes the experience so impactful.
Looking at the faces of the participants in the images above you can see the enjoyment they are experiencing with this technology that allows them to visit different places and engage with friends at the same time.
Now imagine taking that experience to the oldest Irish pub in New York City and sharing a pint on the most Irish day year as you are treated to a VIP tour of McSorley’s and its 167-year history by owner Gregory De La Haba. It sounds like a grand adventure to take as we spend our second St. Patrick’s Day socially distanced from one another.
Read Irish America’s article on McSorley’s Old Irish Ale House by Geoffrey Cobb from the October/November 2019 issue.
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