Immersive Virtual Reality and the Metaverse for Quality of Life and Psychosocial Well-Being in Older Adults: An Integrative Review of Evidence, Mechanisms, and Implementation Pathways

Abstract

Loneliness, depression, and declining quality of life are common in later life, and immersive technologies are increasingly promoted as a way to address them. This integrative review brings together evidence published between 2021 and 2026 on how immersive virtual reality (IVR), augmented and mixed reality, and metaverse platforms affect the quality of life and psychosocial health of adults aged 60 years and older. Existing meta-analyses show that IVR programmers lasting at least four weeks moderately improve quality of life (standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.48), particularly when they run for 10–12 weeks. Content matters: programmes built around virtual nature or immersive reminiscence reduce depressive symptoms (SMD −0.83) and anxiety (SMD −0.77) and ease stress, whereas cognitive–motor VR training does not improve mood. Effects on overall psychological well-being remain uncertain, and evidence on loneliness comes mainly from small studies of shared and social VR that are promising but imprecise. Older adults generally accept these technologies well, and side effects are usually limited to mild, short-lived cybersickness. Building on these findings, we propose a four-pathway model of how immersive experiences influence well-being, a stepped framework for delivering them from simple home-based options to metaverse services, and a set of design and reporting standards for future trials.