NEW YORK, July 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mynd Immersive, a pioneer in the field of delivering immersive therapeutics to older adults, and the CTA Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Consumer Technology Association, are thrilled to announce the launch of the Great American Elderverse™ program, supported by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, AT&T, HTC VIVE, NETGEAR, and Select Rehabilitation. This groundbreaking initiative is providing immersive content and technology to underserved and lower-income seniors across the United States, enhancing their quality of life through virtual experiences and therapeutics.

The Great American Elderverse™ program will kick off in the tri-state area with 60 communities and will expand to hundreds of communities across the nation throughout 2024 and 2025. This initial launch is being made possible by the generous support of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. 

"As the aging population rapidly expands, we are finding fascinating ways to improve the lives and health of our elders with spatial computing and AI," said Chris Brickler, CEO and co-founder of Mynd Immersive. "The Elderverse opens a new, three-dimensional window into a world of patient-centered, 5G connected care.  We take great pride in helping caregivers, clinicians, and therapists harness this next generation of digital therapy across mental, physical, cognitive, emotional and spiritual health."

"The importance of eldercare cannot be understated,' said Alex Cohen, President of the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and New York Mets Owner. "We are proud to support the CTA Foundation and this innovative project to help improve the lives of older adults."

The first recipients of the Great American Elderverse program include four distinguished and innovative senior care operators:

• The New Jewish Home in Manhattan,

• Christian Health of New Jersey,

• Lutheran Care Center of Poughkeepsie, New York

• Long Island State Veterans Home, Stony Brook, New York.

Dr. Jeffrey Farber, President and CEO of The New Jewish Home, said "We've been at the forefront of caring for older adults since our founding in 1848, and through our partnership with Mynd Immersive, we look forward to continuing our proud tradition of innovation. Utilizing the Mynd platform will further enhance and enrich our robust post-acute rehabilitation and therapeutic recreation programs. We're delighted to explore how our partnership will positively impact our residents and patients."

"Christian Health continually strives to provide high-quality care and access cutting-edge technology and other means to benefit our residents and patients," said Douglas Struyk, CPA, LNHA, and Christian Health CEO. "It is an honor to be the first New Jersey-based organization to join the Elderverse, which will advance our commitment to foster health, healing and wellness in the lives of those we serve."

The program is also made possible with the support of several key strategic partners, including:

• HTC VIVE – providing lightweight, immersive glasses to deliver stunning visual and spatial audio experiences

• AT&T – providing fast and secure 5G service for seamless IoT connectivity

• NETGEAR – providing best-in-class WiFi to each location with Nighthawk M6 Pro 5G mobile hotspots

• Select Rehabilitation – clinical leadership for use in OT/PT/ST

These technology partners play a crucial role in developing the future of Connected Health – a world in which we can instantly and easily monitor specific conditions and our overall health, with seamless input from remote doctors, therapists, family members, and other caregivers. Through the combination of wearables, 5G connectivity, AI, and spatial computing, we can extend not just lifespan, but healthspan, leading to more fulfilling and independent lives.

The effectiveness of Immersive Therapeutics (ITx) has been supported by numerous research studies, including a groundbreaking study conducted by Stanford University using Mynd in 17 communities in 10 states, which found that about 60% of senior residents felt a decrease in isolation, over 80% experienced improved mood, and over 90% reported better relationships with their caregivers.

The Great American Elderverse program is produced in partnership with the CTA Foundation, providing a tax-deductible donation option for foundations, family offices, and corporate donors to support seniors in their regional communities or across the US.

Call to Action:

The CTA Foundation invites other donors and senior community operators to learn more about the Great American Elderverse and explore how they can bring this innovative program to their communities. For more information, please visit The Great American Elderverse

Media ContactKim Morgan Email: Kim@myndimmersive.comPhone: 954.261.2149

About the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation

The Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation is committed to inspiring philanthropy and community service by creating awareness, offering guidance, and leading by example to show the world what giving can do. The Foundation's grants support nonprofit organizations based in the United States that either help people in need or solve complex problems. The Foundation also spearheads grassroots campaigns to encourage others to give.  The Foundation has provided over $1 billion of charitable support. For more information, visit www.steveandalex.org.

About the CTA Foundation

CTA Foundation boilerplate: Launched in 2012, the CTA Foundation is a public, national foundation dedicated to connecting people with disabilities and older adults to technologies that enhance their lives. To date, it has provided over $7.3 million in support to non-profit organizations across the United States, improving the quality of life for these communities. Find out how you can support at www.CTAFoundation.tech.

About Mynd Immersive

Since 2016, Mynd Immersive (formerly MyndVR) has been pioneering the creation and delivery of immersive therapeutics designed for the booming, global population of older adults. In 2023, Stanford researchers completed the largest study ever done with VR and older adults. Mynd was shown to significantly improve mood, reduce feelings of isolation, while enhancing relationships between elders and their caregivers. Mynd serves senior living communities globally and over 100 veteran healthcare locations. Mynd Studios, the largest producer of immersive content for older adults in the world, recently announced a partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs to produce "Virtual Vietnam: A Path to Peace," designed to provide emotional and psychological support to millions of aging veterans.

About The New Jewish Home:

Since 1848, The New Jewish Home has helped older New Yorkers live full and meaningful lives by providing outstanding health care and innovative programming. The New Jewish Home is a comprehensive, mission-driven nonprofit health care system serving older adults of all faiths, ethnicities, and income levels. With campuses in Manhattan and Westchester, The New Jewish Home provides person-directed long-term skilled nursing and specialized short-term rehabilitation in partnership with Mount Sinai Health System, NYU Langone Health and Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. The New Jewish Home also offers adult day health care, geriatric care management, home care and senior housing. The New Jewish Home is a proud partner and founding agency of UJA-Federation of New York. For more information, visit www.jewishhome.org.

About Christian Health

Since 1911, Christian Health's mission has been to offer a listening ear, a helpful hand, and steady, supportive guidance throughout an individual's wellness journey. As a non-profit organization founded on the belief that everyone has the right to exceptional care, we continue to grow and evolve to meet the needs of our community. Christian Health's comprehensive continuum of mental health services, communities for older adults, and rehabilitation services foster physical health and nourish the spirit. Caring is not simply what we do; it is who we are. For more information, visit www.christianhealthnj.org.

About AT&T

We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at about.att.com. Investors can learn more at investors.att.com.

About HTC VIVE

HTC VIVE is the premier virtual reality (VR) platform and ecosystem that creates true-to-life VR experiences for businesses and consumers. The VIVE ecosystem is built around premium VR hardware, software, and content. The VIVE business encompasses best-in-class XR hardware, the VIVEPORT platform and app store, VIVE Enterprise Solutions for business customers, VIVE X, a US$100M VR business accelerator, and VIVE ARTS for cultural initiatives. For more information, please visit www.vive.com.About NETGEAR, Inc.

About NETGEAR® (NASDAQ: NTGR)

NETGEAR has pioneered advanced networking technologies for homes, businesses, and service providers around the world since 1996 and leads the industry with a broad range of award-winning products designed to simplify and improve people's lives. By enabling people to collaborate and connect to a world of information and entertainment, NETGEAR is dedicated to delivering innovative and advanced connected solutions ranging from mobile and cloud-based services for enhanced control and security, to smart networking products, video over Ethernet for Pro AV applications, easy-to-use WiFi solutions and performance gaming routers to enhance online game play. The company is headquartered out of San Jose, Calif. with offices located around the globe. More information is available from the NETGEAR Press Room or by calling (408) 907-8000. Connect with NETGEAR: Facebook, Instagram and the NETGEAR blog at NETGEAR.com.

About Select Rehabilitation

Select Rehabilitation is the nation's largest provider of contract rehabilitation services employing 21,000 therapists delivering a range of clinical services at over 2,800 facilities in 46 states. Established in 1998, the founder-operated company's innovative approach to delivering exceptional patient outcomes, state-of-the-art technology infrastructure and compliance-driven patient-care model have earned it a strong reputation among skilled nursing, assisted living and independent living providers. Learn more at www.selectrehab.com

SOURCE Mynd Immersive