Virtual Dementia Bus at Home Instead

Training2Care Virtual Dementia Bus Tour - Summer 2024

The Ruscombe-based branch of domiciliary care provider Home Instead (Maidenhead, Henley & Wallingford) is delighted to be hosting a stop on the Training2Care Virtual Dementia Bus Tour this summer.

The bus, sponsored by Home Instead nationally, is equipped to enable people to experience what it must feel like to live with dementia. The aim is to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of the condition, whether they are care professionals, people wishing to support family members following diagnosis, or interested members of the public.

The local Home Instead franchise already had the bus visit their premises in June to enable their own care professionals to become even more capable when supporting clients with dementia. The office is now hosting the bus again to enable local individuals and businesses to book in and benefit from this immersive experience themselves.

The session offers a scientifically and medically proven way of replicating dementia. Even those familiar with the latest research findings will gain greater understanding and be able to empathise more fully with someone experiencing cognitive decline.

Taking part involves wearing goggles, headphones and spiky insoles. You are then asked to perform various tasks, but with a twist. Distorted vision, loud noises and sensory overload all recreate what it can be like to have dementia. Suddenly, those everyday tasks we take for granted aren’t so simple. It can be quite upsetting to experience just how tough life can be for those living with the illness.

The Virtual Dementia Bus experience is followed by a one-hour debrief session, both delivered by Training2Care. Book online via the Training2Care website above at a cost of £60 per person. Spaces are limited to 16 in the morning and another 16 in the afternoon.

For more information about the visit to Home Instead in Ruscombe, email melissa.johnson@homeinstead.co.uk. Home Instead are providing space for the bus and free parking for those taking part, as well as offering their training room and refreshments for the feedback session  afterwards.

The event is open to all, whether families of those living with dementia, professionals within the healthcare industry, or anyone who wants to again a greater understanding and awareness of dementia via this unique experience. The aim is to help bridge the gap between those living with the condition and their loved ones, giving them a deeper understanding of the challenges they face from first-hand experience.

Home Instead Maidenhead, Henley & Wallingford are delighted to be part of the movement promoting 'dementia-friendly' communities, and to enable other local businesses to book the innovative training for their employees at a huge saving (the dementia bus costs over £1,000 for an exclusive booking).

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