# Connecting the Elderly Using VR: A Novel Art-Driven Methodology
## 1 Introduction  
Challenges posed by demographics are an important point of debate for our future. According to the 2020 report of the United Nations \"World Population Ageing\" [1], the number of persons over 65 in 2020 was estimated to be around 727 million worldwide. This number is predicted to double by 2050, reaching over 1.5 billion. The percentage of older people in the global population is expected to increase from 9.3% in 2020 to 16.0% in 2050, revealing that by mid-century, one in six people globally will be over 65 years old. Moreover, the number of persons over 80 years is probable to increase, rising from 137 million to 425 million on a global scale (reference period: 2017-2050). Among other consequences, as individuals will generally wish to stay in their homes for as long as possible, as they grow older and older, meaning that the home becomes a place where older people spend most of their time, their social activity will be undoubtedly affected. Consequently, the necessity to increase the social capital--the value that social networks and the types of reciprocity associated with them have--for the elderly becomes crucial [2]. A plethora of studies investigate the psychological impact of social isolation, stating that the anxiety levels of elderly people increase due to the lack of social interaction. As a result, they becomelonely, bored, exhausted, and distressed, which increases their depression levels [3; 4]. VR stands out as an emerging technology capable of instilling a sense of presence in a virtual environment, achieved through responsive visual and auditory cues that adapt to user actions, overcoming limitations of time and space [5]. Its versatile applications extend to various domains, including sports activities, simulations, and surgical techniques [6]. Notably, VR has found utility in rehabilitation efforts for individuals with diverse health conditions, such as post-stroke rehabilitation [7; 8] and addressing cerebral palsy [9]. The application of VR in health contexts has garnered increased attention due to the time, space, and financial constraints associated with traditional rehabilitation methods conducted in healthcare facilities, often requiring the involvement of healthcare professionals [10]. For example, VR applications and headsets are being integrated into care homes to aid older individuals, particularly those dealing with Alzheimer's, aiming to enhance overall mental health and evoke recollections [11; 12; 13]. In our study, we introduce art and its practices as a key factor to re-think and re-consider design potentials. Art offers the capability to imagine futures that do not just reflect the current consensus in mathematics, logic, and engineering but also set into motion new ways of seeing, hearing, touching, feeling, transforming, and experiencing spaces, places, and community. Regarding older people, more importantly, we needed to consider the overall symbolic experience by associating historical facts and memory recoveries to the experience, in order for them to be more emotionally connected due to the harmonization of their values and identity. For instance, the objects that are present in their homes may be more valuable to them because of the cultural, life events, and family memories they are associated with. This was taken into account in the design process of the private spaces provided in our virtual village. Another important point in creating experiences through art and technology is by generating well-being for older people with strategies of \"Interactive Art\"--since in the co-creation procedures, the users are themselves actors who perform and create, beginning with a blank canvas, along with artists, architects, and software engineers--to stimulate their curiosity and self-expression and support their identity [14; 15; 16; 17]. From the recent past, the _Tummel under the Atlantic_[18] was an art installation that was completed in 1995. The tele-virtual project linked the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Montreal.