Bluebird Care staff undergo training to 'understand' what life is like living with dementia

Care workers and supervisors from two home care branches based in the south west underwent a Training 2 Care’s dementia tour earlier this month to experience and understand what it is like to be in the “shoes of a person” experiencing dementia on a daily basis.

The experience will allow staff at Bluebird Care Bristol and Bristol & North East Somerset the opportunity to "put into practice" what they have learnt on this course with an aim of making "transformational changes" to the way care is provided to people who live with dementia.

Participants had to 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 operate in dark rooms with coloured lights to add to the disorientation and overall frustration. Participants also wear spiked insoles in their shoes to cause the onset of pins and needles.

Michael Peachey, associate director for Experience Training at Training 2 Care said: “We believe training should lead to positive changes in practice. Experimental training such as virtual dementia tour, dementia interpreter course, and autism reality experience, all help to achieve this.

“Delegates never forget these sessions. The lessons they learn then stay with them forever, and lead to people receiving better care and support. We are incredibly proud to be working in partnership with Bluebird Care Bristol to achieve our joint aim of making transformational changes to the way care is provided.”

The training is undertaken by 200,000 people annually and has been commissioned by 18 NHS Trusts, care homes, nursing homes, police, ambulance, universities, councils, and the Care Quality Commission.

Michaela Bela, care worker at , said: “As we know, dementia is developing fast but unfortunately our understanding of it isn’t keeping pace. The Training 2 Care course gives a different insight into it. It was fascinating to be in the shoes of a person that is experiencing dementia on a daily basis.

“All the information I have learned on the course I can now put into practice when making care visits to customers.”

The staff who participated know exactly what their dementia customers are going through, and how best to approach their challenges.

Katie Dunn, care worker at Bluebird Care Bristol, Bath & NE Somerset, said: “The training was excellent, and I really enjoyed it. It was a difficult experience, but I feel like I can do a lot more and a lot better with those of our customers that have dementia now that I have a better understanding of what they’re going through.”

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