Applying insight to care using the A Walk Through Dementia virtual reality app.
Created by Alzheimer’s Research UK and Bournemouth University, in partnership with people with dementia and their carers, The Lived Experience of Dementia uses virtual reality to put healthcare professionals in the shoes of the people they care for.
This new training resource is designed to help people working in health and social care settings develop enhanced relationships with people with dementia by increasing their lived experience of the condition and building awareness of the lesser-known symptoms.
The Lived Experience of Dementia is split into four sections; an introduction to a ‘humanised approach to care’ which is referenced throughout, followed by three sections focusing on each of the scenarios in the Alzheimer’s Research UK A Walk Through Dementia app.
The user follows a person with dementia, Ann, as she goes shopping, walks home and then makes tea in her kitchen, experiencing first-hand the challenges that these everyday tasks can present for people with dementia. Each section includes exercises, essential reading and opportunities to reflect on how to apply this new insight when caring for people with dementia.
The resource, suitable for anyone who provides front-line care, covers some of the learning outcomes from the Dementia Training Standards Framework and can support other learning materials covering Tier 2 standards.