Customer Spotlight: Rendever

With an aging population worldwide, helping elderly residents overcome the threat of depression and isolation is a serious challenge. In the past, about 50% of residents experienced these emotional difficulties, a rate that has likely only increased as a result of COVID. 

That's why MightySkins is happy to work with Rendever, which uses the power of virtual reality to overcome isolation. Rendever lets seniors relive significant moments in their life by virtually visiting key locations. It also helps them to reconnect with the world by traveling virtually out of their community to places they might have dreamed they would never see. As seniors experience these moments together, it helps reinspire them to build new friendships. 

We interviewed Kyle Rand, co-founder & CEO of Rendever, Inc. to learn more about the company

What is Rendever's mission?

Rendever was founded six years ago to reduce social isolation for the aging population through the power of positive shared experiences. The primary way we do that is through the use of virtual reality technology - after all, what other technology allows you to stand on top of the Eiffel Tower, then jet over to the Roman Coliseum, take a hot air balloon ride up along the isles of Greece, all in one hour? We’ve seen some incredible moments over the years, which has reinforced this core understanding that human relationships are founded on shared experiences, and as a society, we have a major opportunity to provide those to a broad population of people whose life has become limited.

How does VR help Rendever deliver great experiences to seniors?

The greatest thing about virtual reality is that there are endless possibilities, and they can all bypass real-world physical limitations. With Rendever, seniors can explore new destinations all around the world just by putting on a VR headset. They can see places, animals, and experiences they’ve never dreamt of being able to before. They can even revisit their childhood homes and other meaningful locations from their past. They can play games, join clubs, take history lessons, exercise, collectively have fun - all through VR. Every day we see these unique VR experiences bring curiosity and friendship and joy to their lives and we love being able to provide that for them.

It sounds like VR has made a big impact in the communities you work with. I bet you've seen some remarkable success stories. 

The impact of our technology is remarkable. Whether it is seeing someone with dementia smile for the first time because they’ve unlocked a memory they’d otherwise forgotten, or hearing the excitement from participants after a competitive bike ride in RendeverFit™, the Rendever community demonstrates daily that there is no end to the moments and magic that can be created through our platform.

One of the most incredible moments belongs to a particular resident, Mickey. Mickey was known within her community as a person who smiled and laughed regularly. Mickey always caught the attention of others because of her bright personality. Unfortunately, Mickey was diagnosed with dementia and quickly declined to the point where she became unable to communicate. However, when Mickey was introduced to Rendever, she lit up immediately and began smiling and laughing again. In particular, after being placed in a virtual experience that brought her into a room full of golden retriever puppies, Mickey’s mood changed significantly. Six months later, thanks to Rendever and the work Mickey’s team put in to care for her, she found her voice again. This story and the reaction are captured here. Other magical moments are available in this video showcase.

What exciting advancements are on the horizon in your field?

I think there is a great opportunity to use VR to change the way society feels about the aging process. A lot of the time, virtual reality products are built with the younger generation in mind, but with the rapid rise of the older adult population, we should be finding ways for the experience to be fun and exciting - just like our earlier decades. The growth of VR and its capabilities will lead to so many more opportunities to integrate joy and happiness into the broader aging process. We’re already seeing so much of that happening with the recent release of RendeverFit™, and I’m so excited about what’s coming down the pipeline.

What makes this work rewarding for you?

We see moments every day that make us proud and continue to motivate us to do what we do. The moments of joy are rich and enlightening for anybody in the room. Better yet, the magic happens when the headset comes off, and you’re greeted with a highly engaged, enthusiastic older adult who can’t wait to keep talking and sharing stories. That’s the most rewarding part of all of this. 

The numbers also speak for themselves. We just surpassed a total of over five years of time being spent by users inside our core VR platform! To know that so many people are enjoying this service and choosing to spend their time with us, creating new memories and exploring new things…it’s really amazing.

What recent improvements have you made to your program?

We’re excited to have just launched RendeverFit™, which allows seniors to move their bodies and engage in fun, active exercise that honestly feels more like play. It’s all built with the same social backbone that defines our approach to building products. Residents can connect and enjoy the social component of playing a game of virtual ping pong or racing against each other on BT-connected stationary bikes. VR fitness makes physical activity so much more accessible to seniors because (1) it’s fun and easy to lean into, and (2) it’s easy, all they have to do is put on the headset and join in the experience. There’s no separate gym involved, no need to lug around any weights, and no need to miss on a fun social experience - RendeverFit™ is becoming the new fun social experience.

How are you using MightySkins custom wraps in your business?

MightySkins custom wraps have enabled us to deliver beautiful branding on the VR headsets we deploy. While we’re clearly a company that works with VR, our mission is so much broader than the specific technology, so our brand is really fun, bright, and inviting. Those words aren’t always easily used to describe the cutting edge feel of many VR devices, but our brand feel is so important to us, so having these high quality custom wraps is incredible. 

How do customers and employees feel about the wraps?

We frequently hear that our branding is a breath of fresh air in a world of technology that - when designed specifically for an older population - can otherwise feel a bit stale and boring.

How would you describe your experience with MightySkins?

The customer service delivered from the team at MightySkins is top-notch. We noticed it right away, and we prefer to do work with organizations that stand out in this way because it’s super inline with our own team’s approach to building relationships, going above and beyond in providing support, and all around maintaining high standards for everything we do on behalf of our partners.

Rendever's experience shows that quality branding isn't just for boosting sales. Even service organizations can utilize on-point branding to improve the experience of those they help. At MightySkins, it makes us proud to work with companies like this and help them spread joy and engagement to seniors around the world.

No matter what type of equipment you use in your company, MightySkins can improve its branding and help you make a bigger impression. Contact MightSkins today to learn how partnership can make your branding both more effective and less expensive.