Residents at Buxton House care home in Weymouth tour the world with virtual reality – Dorset Echo

RESIDENTS at a Weymouth care home have been riding roller coasters and diving under the sea, thanks to new virtual reality headsets.

Buxton House care home - which looks after people with dementia - is enabling its residents to break free from the limitations of reduced mobility by using the cutting edge technology to explore the world, all from the comfort of their home.

Previous trips have taken the residents to theme parks, given them the chance to walk with elephants in Africa and watch bears fishing in Canada. They have been on deep-sea diving expeditions to observe marine wildlife - something that many able-bodied people may not be able to experience.

Clare Baker, home manager at Buxton House, said: "At Buxton House we aim to create a great place to live your life, not just a care home. These VR headsets have been a great addition here, allowing residents to experience things not many people get to do and all from the comfort and safety of their home.

"It's also really rewarding for the staff here to see the amazement and wonder on the residents' faces when they use the headsets."

Buxton House is a 64-bed, purpose-built care home in Radipole Lane, close to the elderly care units of Westhaven House and Westhaven Hospital.

The home is run by Dorset-based charity Care South, which provides residential, dementia and in-home care across the south. The organisation was rated Good in all areas following its latest Care Quality Commission inspection.

For more information about Buxton House or to arrange a visit, call 01305 760834 or visit http://www.care-south.co.uk.

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Residents at Buxton House care home in Weymouth tour the world with virtual reality - Dorset Echo