10 October 2019

Central Support team members take part in Virtual Dementia Tour

Team members at our Central Support office recently took part in a Virtual Dementia Tour to give them a better understanding of dementia.

40 people took part in the Virtual Dementia Tour, provided by Training 2 Care, across two days. The experience takes attendees on a journey through an interactive bus, giving them an insight into what it is like to live with the condition by creating feelings of confusion, vulnerability, intimidation and fear by altering people’s senses with interactive activities.

The Virtual Dementia Tour was invented 21 years ago in America by world renowned professional PK Beville. The tour is medically and scientifically proven to be the closest that you can give a person with a healthy brain an experience of what dementia might be like.

Office Manager and organiser of the event, Lorraine Hankin said: “It is not often that you get to walk in the shoes of somebody else’s illness, however, today’s experience was just that.

“It was extremely insightful and gave me a whole new outlook of what it would be like to live with dementia.”

Operations Support, Natasha Bentley said: “I am in the homes quite frequently and found that I was struggling with empathy towards residents living with dementia because I couldn’t understand how they were feeling. After this insightful experience and seeing for myself what it feels like to live with dementia, I have learned so much that I can put into practice.”

Accounts Payable Administrator, Callie O’Brien said: “It was an extremely eye-opening experience and it taught us all a lot about what it would feel like to live with dementia.

“Even though we don’t work in the homes directly, it is important for all Hallmark team members to have an insight into the struggles some of the residents have day-to-day.”

After the successful training at our Central Support office, we will be looking to have all team members across our 19 care home locations take part so that we can better care for residents living with dementia in our homes.

Click here to find your nearest Hallmark care home.