Staff at Anglican Care have immersed themselves in the virtual world in an attempt to provide them with a greater understanding of dementia.
The team experienced virtual reality to help them do their job more effectively at a workshop on 7 March at Anglican Care head office in Booragul.
The Educational Dementia Immersive Experience (EDIE) uses an innovative app and gaming technology to provide staff and carers with the opportunity to build a more significant relationship with individuals living with dementia.
Dementia Australia has developed the technology, which is now available to educate and support people living with dementia, families and staff. It is expected to have a positive impact on individuals affected by dementia within Anglican Care services.
Through the 360-degree immersive application, staff will have a more in-depth understanding of what individuals suffering from dementia need, and more importantly how these needs can often differ between various residents.
The experience will allow Anglican Care to explore a moment in time with Edie, who has a diagnosis of dementia, allowing for a plan to be developed to help her live more confidently with dementia.
Dementia can affect an individual’s mood, problem-solving skills, language and their ability to do their daily tasks, and the use of EDIE provides the opportunity to explain its effect on perception.
Anglican Care’s Marketing Manager, Kylie Jacques said the staff were excited to participate in the workshop and access the benefits it offered.
“To be able to gain a personal understanding for what residents are faced with daily and how these struggles can impair their emotions is incredibly insightful for our staff as they care for residents suffering from dementia,” Kylie said.
The virtual reality workshop takes three hours and takes users through the stages of dementia, a consumer’s perspective, considerations for the individual and their needs, identifying support needs and developing a support plan for that individual.
IMAGE | Anglican Care staff gain a greater understanding of dementia through virtual reality technology.
