Bluebird Care team get first-hand dementia experience
Published: 02/02/2023
Our Bluebird Care Leeds North team have taken part in a state-of-the-art Mobile Dementia Simulator known as the ‘Dementia Bus’ to learn with a first-hand understanding of the disease.
Training 2 CARE’s Mobile Dementia Simulator is officially sponsored by Bluebird Care and has toured the United Kingdom this year.
The mobile dementia simulator offers participants the chance to experience what dementia might be like by replicating the symptoms and challenges faced by someone with the condition. The medically proven training method helps care professionals understand how they can improve the care they deliver to better support those with dementia.
Participants wear mittens in a thick material to impair their ability to perform tasks or hold items, wear headphones and glasses with altered lenses to impair their vision and make them feel disorientated, and navigate dark rooms with coloured lights to add to the disorientation and overall frustration. Participants also wear spiked insoles in their shoes to cause a pins and needles sensation – a common symptom of dementia.
The life-adjusting training is undertaken by 200,000 people each year and has been endorsed by numerous NHS Trusts, care and nursing homes, Police forces, Ambulance services, Universities, Councils, and the Care Quality Commission. Bluebird Care Leeds North offers home care services across the local community, including for people living with dementia. Care Assistants at the leading provider deliver care in the comfort of their customers’ own homes, with services ranging from daily visits and companionship to Live-In Care and trips into the community.
Sheree Jenman, Director at Bluebird Care Leeds North, said;
With one person developing dementia every three minutes, it is really important that society’s understanding of the condition rapidly improves. The ‘Dementia Bus’ is an immersive experience that depicts the realities people living with dementia face.
“It has opened all of our eyes to the experience, frustrations and challenges people with dementia experience every day. I am proud that Bluebird Care Leeds North is committed to increasing dementia awareness and offering practical support to those affected by the condition.”
Sandra Collinson, a family member of someone living with dementia, said;
Thank you so much for inviting us to the Dementia Bus Experience. The information we learnt was amazing and will be so helpful for us all in the future, it was such a pleasure to be part of the experience. You’re all doing a brilliant job!
Glenn Knight, CEO of Training 2 CARE, said;
Bluebird Care’s commitment to innovative delivery of care and support, matches our goals for training in the UK and we are excited to join them on this journey”
“Training 2 CARE are constantly pushing the boundaries of what can be achieved through experiential training and our nine Mobile Virtual Dementia Simulators are a powerful portal to this.
“Having the support of an amazing organisation such as Bluebird Care by sponsoring the latest bus will help us reach an even larger proportion of the UK and vitally develop skills and understanding for the people that support people with dementia daily.
