The renowned Virtual Dementia Tour rolled into Oranmore on Tuesday as part of a nationwide campaign by Dovida to provide family members of people living with dementia with an insight into their loved one’s experience of the condition.
The Virtual Dementia Tour, commonly known as the ‘dementia bus’ or ‘dementia simulator’, will visit Dovida’s 25 locations during its journey, which will see 800 people take part throughout the campaign.
As well as offering family members a valuable insight into the inner life of someone living with dementia, the company is using the dementia bus as a vehicle to give its caregivers and local healthcare professionals an immersive training experience.
An immersive experience
“This is a uniquely immersive training course which allows people to walk in the shoes of a person living with dementia,” Carolyn Naughton, General Manager of Dovida Galway, said.
The state-of-the-art dementia bus uses technology to replicate the sensory changes associated with dementia. Participants wear goggles, headphones, and spiky insoles. They are then asked to perform everyday tasks, but with distorted vision, loud noises, and sensory overload, which recreate what it’s like to have dementia.
The experience concludes with an expert-led debrief, which helps participants understand what they have experienced and offers useful tips and strategies to make the world a better place for people living with dementia.
“There are currently over 64,000 people living with dementia in Ireland, and that number is projected to double by 2045. It’s crucial that as many people as possible gain a better understanding of the condition, so we can empathise with what people are going through,” Naughton added.
Empathy through experience
Stepping into the Dovida Dementia Bus experience was like stepping into another reality, a reality shaped by confusion, sensory overload, and disorientation.
The immersive experience offers insight into how people with dementia cope with symptoms and how challenging it is for them to carry out everyday tasks.
Each participant wears specialised equipment: soundproof headphones playing loud and overlapping noises, amber goggles to simulate blurred and distorted vision, spiky insoles, and gloves with various fingers sewn together.
The van is dimly lit and designed to emulate a home, complete with plates, cutlery, and a bed. As you attempt to complete simple daily tasks, feelings of fear and frustration quickly emerge.
The disorientation caused by the loud sounds, sirens, chatter, and jarring background noise adds another layer to the experience. This was what I found most difficult: receiving information became a challenge, making even basic tasks nearly impossible.
Participants are given vague instructions like “find something useful to do” or “find your tie and put it on,” all while managing conflicting directions and overwhelming sensory input.
Even as I struggled to complete the tasks, an added layer of frustration came from the operator’s reactions.
At one point, when asked to “find something useful to do,” I picked up a knife and fork, which were promptly taken from my hands. I was told I could hurt myself with them.
I felt helpless. It was a vulnerable position to be put in; going from being able-bodied to being unable to complete daily tasks was a stark and unsettling change.
The experience ends with a debrief, explaining how each piece of equipment represents a specific symptom of dementia. This offers a moment of clarity for participants.
Empathy was my greatest takeaway. I can only imagine what it must feel like to live with this level of confusion and disorientation every day.
Dovida has done an exceptional job of offering caregivers, families, and professionals a meaningful insight into dementia, one that encourages greater compassion and understanding toward those living with the condition.
Complementing existing training
The dementia bus initiative adds to Dovida’s existing caregiver training and contributes to a more holistic approach to caring for people with the condition. Dovida offers accredited City & Guilds dementia care training through its Home Care Professionals Academy. This research-based training course puts the person’s dignity first and teaches practical skills to support people living with dementia.
“As well as the practical element of home care, the emotional and companionship elements are also hugely important. Initiatives such as the dementia bus help us to build on our current training and empower our caregivers to deliver the best possible care and support to our clients,” Naughton concluded.
