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Elder Law Prof Blog
Katherine C. Pearson, Editor, and a Member of the Law Professor Blogs Network on LexBlog.com

The Virtual Dementia Tour

By rmorgan

Have you taken the Virtual Dementia Tour? Patty Dudek was kind enough to email me a link to this October 9, 2013 post by Gary Tetz on Fumbling in the dark — my Virtual Dementia Tour appearing in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living.  The post details his experience when he took the tour.  In his post, he describes his experiences:

Then the real fun began. And by fun, I mean a troubling experience I don’t wish to soon repeat. I was led by the hand into a darkened room and asked to complete a simple list of tasks. Which would have been fine if I could have heard the instructions, or been able to see what I was doing, or had fully functional fingers, or wasn’t startled into  forgetfulness every few seconds by a deafening series of random noises…. For such a simple concept, the impact of this adventure was seriously profound, and though I hate to recommend something so unpleasant, I wholeheartedly do….For just a few fleeting but unforgettable minutes, I experienced what must be barely a shadow of the fear, pain and confusion your dementia patients go through every moment of every day.

If you go to the Second Wind Dreams website you can find the link to the Virtual Dementia Tour. According to the website, “[t]he mission of Second Wind Dreams® (SWD) is simple — to change the perception of aging through the fulfillment of dreams and the offering of innovative educational opportunities to caregivers and communities.” The Virtual Dementia Tour (or VDT as it is referenced on the website) is available for purchase by individuals/families, communities or groups and according to the website, is in use at 25 universities. The price varies depending on the kit purchased.

Although I have not taken the VDT or seen it (I would like to at some point) I have used the Secure Project Aging Sensitivity Training kit in my seminar to have students better understand some of the common effects of aging–including changes in vision and dexterity. We always discuss stereotypes and how each person ages differently. We then use this as an opportunity to discuss ways the students can make their law offices accessible and “elder-friendly.” 

There are a number of different resources available to do this type of training. When I did an Internet search to find the website for the Secure Project, I found several, two of which I’m mentioning here.  Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension Service offers Aging Simulation: Sensitizing People to the Process of Aging  gives you instructions and a step-by-step guide to creating your own “kit” which you could use in your classroom. Pace University’s Gerontechnology Program also offers something similar on its website here with some writing projects for students that I think could be modified for hypothetical elder law offices or elder law clients.

Anyone else do anything similar? Let’s share our thoughts and suggest resources. And if you have taken the Virtual Dementia Tour, what were your experiences?