Care Teams from The Lawn, our Alton-based residential care home, and Redcot Residential Care Home in Haslemere, were joined by relatives and took part in an immersive Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) experience, designed to give participants a more profound and clearer understanding of what it’s like to live with dementia.
The care team members were keen to participate in the innovative and thought provoking event, and relatives of residents who are living with dementia at both care homes wanted to join in to learn more as well.
“It was extremely important for the care teams to attend the virtual experience, and great to have relatives join us for the training as well,” said Alina Gutu, the Registered Manager at The Lawn. “By taking part, everyone had a first-hand opportunity to experience and fully understand what daily life is like for the residents they care for, or relatives they love, who are living with dementia.”
The VDT is delivered by Training 2 CARE, the UK’s sole provider the experiential training. “The VDT took place in a mobile simulator at The Lawn which allowed us to see and feel the challenges faced by the residents who are living with dementia,” added Redcot’s Interim Manager, Staci Abernethy. “The training was totally immersive and gave us all the experience of what the world of dementia is really like.”
Being shrouded in the sensory experience gave all the participants a deeper appreciation of dementia and what residents are feeling every day. “The VDT has really helped us to get a greater understand our residents’ daily dementia lives on a stronger, more meaningful level,” continued Alina.
Through its Dementia Education Programme, the Charity now has 68 trained Dementia Champions who work in its care homes and day care services, providing the best support and care to those who are living with dementia.
During the VDT, relatives and care team members experienced a detailed simulation, unlike anything they had experienced before. “It was as if the window blinds had been rolled up and we’d stepped out into the vast universe of dementia,” continued Alina. “Before we began the training, we were all given a range of items – sound distorting headphones, bulky gloves which created the sense of not being able to feel, sight altering glasses which altered and twisted our vision and lumpy, misshapen insoles which went in our shoes and created a nasty simulated pins and needles sensation as we walked around.”
When the relatives and care team participants entered the VDT, they encountered total sensory disorientation. “Our vision, movements, hearing and sense of touch were totally warped and twisted to reflect and let us experience the senses and physical sensations of a person who is living with dementia,” added Staci.
“Walking in the shoes of a person who is living with dementia and experiencing everyday life was very confusing. Feeling confused, vulnerable and scared all at once was very disconcerting and distressing – and humbling,” continued Alina.
The participants were asked to complete a few simple tasks, but with sensory distractions such as loud noises and flashing lights coupled with the absence of touch, distorted vision and the incapacitating pins and needles, everyone agreed that it was hard – if not impossible – to complete the tasks, which left them feeling frustrated, angry and disheartened.
“To have the opportunity to experience the emotions, feelings and sensations of a person living with dementia was very overwhelming,” added Staci. “I became anxious, nervous and apprehensive, all of which the Training 2 CARE team said were common feelings.”
“Each member of the care teams at The Lawn and Redcot are passionate about their work and devoted to the residents. We are all completely focused on supporting and caring for our residents, 24/7. By participating in the VDT, we have all taken away a greater appreciation, understanding and comprehension of what the residents who are living with dementia experience every day. This, in turn, has helped us to ensure we make sure that each resident has the best experience we can provide, every minute of every day,” concluded Alina.
To find out more about Redcot care home in Haslemere and The Lawn care home in Alton, email enquiries@fote.org.uk.