Home › NCT07644416

Using Virtual Reality Travel to Reduce Loneliness in Older Adults

Virtual Reality Travel (VRT) as a Loneliness Intervention for Older Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Who can join

Ages 65 and older · All sexes · Healthy volunteers welcome

Inclusion Criteria:

* Adults aged 65 years or older
* Express willingness to engage with VR technology

Exclusion Criteria:

\- No self-reported physical, sensory, neurological, or cognitive conditions that would make VR use unsafe or impractical (e.g., uncontrolled seizures, severe vertigo, or significant uncorrected vision/hearing impairments).

About the study

This study aims to investigate whether and how virtual reality travel (VRT) can reduce loneliness among older adults. It will utilize a mixed-methods research design that combines an randomly assigned experiment with follow-up semi-structured interviews.

This is a pilot study and it is essential to establish the feasibility and acceptability of the protocol, assess the tolerability of VR technology in this population prior to conducting a full-scale RCT, and generate preliminary effect size estimates to inform future sample size calculations.

What is being tested

• Virtual Reality Travel (behavioral)
• Puzzle-Based Attention Control Activity (behavioral)

Sponsor: Indiana University · Participants: 40 · Started: Jun 1, 2026

Contact the study team

• Ruiping Ren · Phone: 812-671-4087

Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07644416

Locations in the U.S.

From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Oct 1, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.