Dementia Action Week: How Does Living with Dementia Look Like?
It’s Dementia Action Week and Health and Social Care students at EKC Broadstairs College participated in a unique virtual dementia awareness training course led by Caremark Thanet. This immersive training provided a powerful learning experience for the students, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by those living with dementia.
What is Dementia Action Week?
Dementia Action Week is an annual awareness-raising campaign organised by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom. It typically takes place in May and serves as a crucial opportunity to unite individuals, organizations, and communities in the fight against dementia. The week-long initiative aims to challenge misconceptions, promote understanding, and inspire action to support those living with dementia and their caregivers. Through various events, activities, and initiatives, Dementia Action Week seeks to raise awareness about the condition, advocate for better dementia care and support services, and encourage communities to become more dementia-friendly. It provides a platform for education, empowerment, and collaboration, highlighting the importance of coming together to address the challenges faced by those affected by dementia.
Stepping into the Reality of Dementia
Caremark Thanet‘s innovative training program utilised virtual reality technology to create a disorienting experience that mimicked the symptoms of dementia. Students donned special goggles, headphones, and gloves, effectively simulating vision and hearing loss, impaired hand movements, and nerve damage – all of which are common challenges for dementia patients.
Challenged to perform everyday tasks within a darkened room, the students gained firsthand insight into the disorientation and frustration that dementia can cause. This powerful exercise fostered empathy and a heightened sense of the importance of providing compassionate and supportive care.
About Caremark’s Dementia Care Services
Caremark offers a comprehensive range of dementia care services designed to support individuals living at home. Our compassionate and experienced care assistants are specially trained to understand the unique challenges faced by customers and provide person-centered care that promotes dignity, independence, and well-being.
