CARERS attended a virtual dementia experience to simulate what it is like to be living with the disease. 

Workers from South Lakes and Furness, Heydays Care and Support Services and Grange Cottage Residential Care Home in Allithwaite attended a dementia experience day at The Old Vicarage care home in Allithwaite.

The virtual tour bus, provided by care training providers Training 2 Care UK Ltd, gives a person with a healthy brain the experience of what dementia might be like. It does this by simulating the environment those living with dementia see the world. 

The carers then received training from Marc Finbow explaining how to support people with the disease. 

Michelle, one of the carers from the Old Vicarage, described the experience as 'confusing, scary and claustrophobic'.

Another Heydays carer Lauren Gleadow said: “It was a very informative and thought-provoking course, though I personally found it quite overwhelming to be put in the shoes of someone with dementia.

"It’s a wonderful feeling to know that as a carer, I have the opportunity to be a beacon of light to someone that at times may feel vulnerable, frightened and alone. The experience has given us the tools to potentially make someone’s life a little better, and I feel lucky that we’ve had the chance to take the tour.”

Sue Wilson, care manager at The Old Vicarage, said: “More people need to undertake this experience; not just care workers but anyone who has friends or family that live with dementia. We all think we understand what it must be like but until you put yourself in this situation you can’t.

"My staff and I were overwhelmed putting ourselves in the shoes of people suffering from dementia. It made us all look at things very differently and question our practice. We look forward to introducing more of our staff to this in the future.”