In partnership with Second Wind Dreams, Bethany Assisted Living, Inc., a provider of both assisted living (including memory care) and independent living services, will host a free Virtual Dementia Tour for the community on Thursday, November 30, 2023, at 3pm and 5:30pm.
The Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) is the original, ground-breaking, evidence-based, and scientifically proven method of building a greater understanding of dementia. The VDT uses patented sensory tools and instruction based on extensive research.
During a Virtual Dementia Tour experience, trained facilitators guide participants outfitted with patented devices that alter their senses while they try to complete common everyday tasks and exercises. The Tour enables caregivers to experience for themselves the physical and mental challenges those with dementia face, and use the experience to provide better person-centered care.
Tours will take place at the Bethany Community Commons Building, 353 Gesmon Neville Lane in Statesboro.
Please RSVP, as space is limited. Contact Haley B. McNure, Director of The Cottages at Bethany at 912.225.7204 or hmcnure@bethanyway.org to secure your spot.
History of VDT at Bethany
It all began when the Bulloch County Hospital Authority Grant Committee and the board of trustees of Bethany joined in a financial commitment to have staff members of Bethany trained in the empathetic, person-centered care to residents with dementia process known as the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) in 2016-2017.
Since the time of the initial training of the staff, Bethany says it has trained over 585 individuals in what is described as a unique program to promote accountability, meaning, and best practices in dementia care.
"This transformative experience utilizes patented sensory tools and evidence-based instructions, all rooted in extensive research," Bethany Assisted Living said in a news release.
"Participants are guided by trained facilitators and equipped with patented devices that temporarily alter their senses, simulating the challenges faced by individuals living with dementia while performing everyday tasks and exercises."
The impact of the Virtual Dementia Tour extends beyond the fact that every staff member is required as a prerequisite of employment to participate in the VDT, according to the release.
Participants from a wide swath of the community, including family members of the residents of The Lodge at Bethany and The Cottages at Bethany, first responders, hospice personnel, and other members of the Statesboro and surrounding communities, have taken part in the experience.
By immersing caregivers and community members in the Virtual Dementia Tour, Bethany Assisted Living says it has achieved a dual purpose.
First, it has raised awareness and fostered a deeper understanding of the physical and mental challenges faced by those living with dementia.
Secondly, the experience has empowered caregivers to provide more empathetic and person-centered care, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for individuals with dementia.
To date, the total costs of training the 585+ individuals using this program has been without charge to the individuals involved.
“We have had a number of individuals with family members who have had some form of dementia for years come through the VDT who describe the experience as eye-opening to a world that they could not have imagined their loved one is living in, making them more keenly aware of the need to be more patient and understanding of living with this illness,” said Regina M. Bell, RN, BSN, and administrator of The Lodge at Bethany.
“We use this tool to assist us in educating our own residents’ family members and the individual approaches that we initiate in the care being provided their loved one. It gives us the support and ability to speak of the basis for the often-times very unique and very surprising behaviors of their Family Member.”
It does not necessarily make anyone feel any less distressed about their loved one having dementia, but empathy can be a liberating emotion that is often the effect of the activity, and that can be helpful as they prepare to walk the journey through dementia, Bell said.
The VDT is provided on the campus of Bethany at the newly constructed Community Commons Building.
For more information about Bethany Assisted Living and the Virtual Dementia Tour, visit bethanyway.org