The Mayor of Winchester recently attended a care home in the city for a training day. During this special training day Eleanor Bell took part in the Training 2 Care Virtual Dementia Tour (VFT).

The VDT is an innovative, immersive experience designed to allow non-sufferers to better understand the daily challenges faced by people living with dementia. This pioneering training experience has been proven, both medically and scientifically, to recreate the condition for participants with a healthy brain.

When asked about her experience, the Mayor of Winchester said she found the experience “completely disconcerting” explaining the frustration of finding simple tasks particularly difficult to complete.

Counsellor Bell continued by saying "I now feel I have an appreciation of what someone suffering from dementia has to live with, and have a better understanding of how this will help staff and families to support and care for someone with dementia."

The training day allowed care home staff to take part in the immersive dementia experience, allowing them to see, through the eyes of a dementia sufferer, how difficult everyday tasks can become. The Virtual Dementia Tour helps care providers to understand how they can better support those suffering from the condition.

Alongside care staff, the VDT also provided the experience to volunteers and members of local community groups. The training co-ordinator for Brendoncare, Nicola Beale, spoke about her experience. When asked about how the Virtual Dementia Tour had helped her understanding of the condition, she said “You think dementia is just about memory loss but this experience gave me a 360 degree view of everything about dementia.”

Karen Hutchings, chef at the Park Road home, added: "This gave me a chance to see and feel dementia. The experience brought out so many emotions; anxiety, irritation and loneliness.”

You can read the original story at the Southern Daily Echo website.