Armchair travel to many countries
Virtual reality technology has allowed residents to see the world from their armchairs.
A group of residents in Bupa Hugh Green Care Home were amazed by an immersive experience recently, donning headsets for a virtual reality tour of Egypt, India, Italy and Croatia.
The virtual travel tour is in HD, 4K and is part of a technology trial for the care home. The care home activity team talking the residents through the accompanying narrative.
The technology is from SilVR, specialising in education using virtual reality through 360º photos, sound and videos. The headset can provide a vast library selection of locations and interests to choose from.
Residents were guided through Cairo’s Great Sphinx of Giza, the Hawa Mahal Jaiur in India, and the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.
General Manager, Ian Dunthorne says the technology initiative has become popular worldwide with care homes due to lockdowns restricting travel.
“Our residents, with and without cognitive impairment, have found this to be an amazing journey. Reminiscing of their own past travel trips can trigger conversation during and after the VR as a shared experience or on their own.”
After the session, specialty cups of tea were shared from countries the residents had visited. This capped off their virtual reality travel trip from the comfort of their care home lounge.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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54.3% Human-centred experience and communication
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13.8% Critical thinking
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