How It Works

“You have no idea how powerful Dementia Reality™ is until you put it on.” – Dementia Reality Customer

Dementia Reality uses the latest in 360 video technology delivered in virtual reality to create realistic, interactive content. Master trainers with at least five years of experience in dementia training provide instruction to groups of up to 10 trainees wearing headsets. There are several modules, each with a specific lesson and focus. After each scenario, trainees discuss what they have seen and felt.

Each module contains three scenarios:

First Scenario

ONE:

Shadowing a caregiver who is doing a poor job of caring for a client with dementia. How the caregiver’s performance directly impacts the client.

First Scenario

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TWO:

Caregiver re-enters client’s room and repeats task, but in an intentional and supportive way. See how this enables the caregiver to do a better job, as well as the impact on client receiving the care.

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THREE:

Empathy: Viewer embodies the client, seeing everything through their eyes. Experience how it feels to be treated poorly. Also, depending upon the module, feel what it’s like to struggle with awkwardness, confusion, garbled speech, hallucinations, delusions, and other visual and auditory distortions.

Trainees are eligible to earn continuing education units (CEUs) after completion of the course.

“It helps put into perspective how residents feel when they are low vision and hard of hearing. We activity professionals don’t always realize the medical side of things so this training really helped with that.”

— Dementia Reality Customer

Modules

Each module shows how subtle variations in approach and communication can make a huge difference. For example, brushing teeth, dressing, showering, eating, taking medications, activities, and other common situations.

It might be how to gently redirect a gentleman who insists on wearing yesterday’s clothing. A woman whose field of vision has narrowed and who needs the caregiver to stand directly in front of her. How the dining staff can connect to ensure a resident is eating properly.

The following Dementia Reality™ modules are available:

Module #1 Activities of Daily Living

Essential daily activities, including waking up, toileting, and toothbrushing, emphasizing a supportive approach. Safety concerns and insights into changes in visual and auditory processing. Understanding how cognitive changes impact communication. Effective communication strategies to enhance caregiving.

Module #2 Challenges in Activities of Daily Living

Complexities of daily tasks like shaving, showering, and dressing with a focus on intentional and supportive methods. Handling challenging behaviors with care and intentionality, including addressing hallucinations and delusions. Meeting individuals where they are and utilizing redirection as a valuable tool for behavior management.

Module #3 Managing Behavioral Shifts

Changes in behavior and strategies for effective response. Triaging behaviors with intention and support, ensuring safety for both staff and residents, and addressing predictive behaviors. Using redirection with insights into understanding cognitive changes. Nuanced handling of elopement, hallucinations, and delusions.

Module #4 Dining Services

Leveraging person-centered knowledge to identify potential behavior triggers and safety concerns, especially within a bustling dining environment where teamwork is crucial. How cognitive changes impact communication. A supportive and intentional approach to care. How to ensure safety and foster effective communication and relationships with residents by considering cognitive decline, diminished visual fields, and auditory changes, creating a safer and more supportive environment.

Module #5 Life Enrichment and Activities Staff

Examination of nuances of communication changes attributed to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, focusing on differentiating between verbal and nonverbal expressions. How to recognize early signs of agitation and respond with intention and support. Using person-centered knowledge to not only develop engaging and appropriate programming, but as an effective tool for redirection when necessary.

Module #6 Social Workers

How to help clients and people living with dementia navigate activities of daily living with an intentional and supportive approach. Practical strategies for effectively managing challenging behaviors; empowers caregivers to empathetically engage with their care partners at their current cognitive stage. By fostering a caregiving dynamic rooted in empathy and understanding, caregivers are equipped with the ability to utilize the concept of personhood as a tool for redirection. This approach ensures that interactions are tailored to honor individuals’ unique identities and preferences, thereby enhancing the quality of care.