Rendever Gets $4.5M NIH Grant to Bring Social VR to Older Adults at Home

• Rendever received nearly $4.5 million from NIH to expand its VR programs for older adults and caregivers aging at home.
• The funding follows clinical results showing that Rendever’s platform helps families feel closer, even across long distances.

Rendever, a company that uses virtual reality to reduce loneliness in older adults, has received nearly $4.5 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). $3.8 million will support its Thrive At Home program, and the rest will go toward building a VR support network for caregivers. The goal is to bring Rendever’s social VR experiences out of group settings and directly into the homes of older adults who are aging in place and often lack meaningful social contact.

The new funding builds on results from Rendever’s Phase II clinical trial, which showed that VR can help families feel closer, even across long distances. CEO Kyle Rand said the company plans to expand its work over the next three years to improve social health and well-being for older adults using technology.

Earlier research supported by NIH found that families using Rendever’s platform had less stress and depression after four weeks. Rendever is already used in senior living, hospitals, and health systems to help people share meaningful experiences. The company also offers VR training for dementia and empathy, and works with partners like AARP, Verizon, and the Cleveland Clinic.

🌀 Tom’s Take:

With VR’s power of immersion, Rendever is showing it can teleport people to new places and reconnect families, regardless of physical distance.

Source: GlobeNewswire / Rendever