Dementia

Description 

Dementia is a progressive neurocognitive disorder currently affecting 1.1 million Canadians(17) and their caregivers. Individuals with dementia suffer from decreasing brain function involving the areas of memory, mood, planning, judgement, language and attention.(18) Dementia can be either primary (permanent) or secondary (reversible). This simulation will showcase the experience of an individual who has dementia with Lewy body disease, the second most common dementia in Canada, but often mistaken for Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.(1) This simulation focuses on hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that are not there) the most recognizable symptom of Lewy body dementia.(20)

Simulation No. 1 - Dementia - FAMILY REUNION

Welcome to the Family Reunion! In this simulation, you will take the role of 75 years old Steve. Steve and his wife will be attending annual family reunion on Blue Mountain, Ontario. During this simulation, you will be asked to match the names to the faces of Steve’s family members while listening to an auditory hallucination track. This exercise will help you understand the experience of memory loss and empathize with older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease. 


Simulation Video

 Duration of simulation - 3 minutes.


Activity



ATTENTION: Some browsers do not support embedded activities. Please use the following link if the embedded activity doesn’t work: https://wordwall.net/resource/10583612/simulation-one-dementia

Full Simulation Guide

Download the Dementia-Family Reunion Simulation Guide

Materials

  • • A computer
  • • Headphones

Procedure

  1. Complete the precursor simulations if you have already done so.
  2. Put in/on headphones.
  3. Adjust the volume to a minimum of 50 percent to fully experience the hallucination track. 
  4. Begin playing the video and don’t stop it until you’re ready to reflect on your experience. 
  5. When the hallucination track begins playing, you will have one minute to memorize the names of your family members.
  6. After one minute, an alarm will sound. The names and pictures on the screen will disappear. Continue to follow instructions on the video and locate the embedded activity. 
  7. Begin the activity when you hear an alarm sound. 
  8. You will have 1 minute and 50 seconds to match the names to the faces. 
  9. Another alarm will sound signalling the end of the activity.
  10. Take a couple of minutes to reflect on your experience using the questions below.

Reflection Questions

  1. This was an activity showcasing only one of the struggles that an individual with Alzheimer’s disease faces. How would significant memory loss impact your daily life?
  2. How did the auditory hallucination track impact your ability to complete the task? How would the experience of persistent auditory hallucinations affect your daily life?
  3. How did it feel stepping into Steve’s shoes and struggling to remember the names of your family members? How do you think this would impact the relationships you have with your family?

Testimonials

We would love to hear from you about what you think about our Aging Simulation Lab website! Post your feedback, stories, and experiences on our Facebook page or our Google Forms page.


Simulation No. 2 - Dementia - VISIT FROM AN OLD FRIEND

Welcome to a visit from an old friend! In this simulation, you will take the role of 72 years old Sara, a nursing home resident. During the simulation, you will hear an auditory hallucination track while responding to Ana’s questions. This will help you understand the experience of hallucinations and empathize with older adults living with Lewy body dementia.


Simulation Video

 Duration of simulation - 2 minutes 30 seconds.


Full Simulation Guide

Download the Dementia-Visit from an Old Friend Simulation Guide

Materials

  • • A computer
  • • Headphones

Procedure

  1. Complete the precursor simulations if you have already done so.
  2. Put in/on headphones.
  3. Press play for the simulation video to start.
  4. Adjust the volume to a minimum of 50 percent to fully experience the hallucination track. 
  5. In a video, you (in your role as Sara) will be asked to answer several questions. Provide your responses out loud.
  6. Take a couple of minutes to reflect on your experience using the questions below.

Reflection Questions

  1. How did you feel when you realized that Ana was a hallucination?
  2. How would having dementia with Lewy bodies impact your daily living and relationship with others?
  3. How might experiencing a simulation of dementia with Lewy bodies change the way you perceive those who are living with dementia? 

Testimonials

We would love to hear from you about what you think about our Aging Simulation Lab website! Post your feedback, stories, and experiences on our Facebook page or our Google Forms page.

Content Creators

Valentina Mayorga, Nicole Struthers, Michelle Wang, Bari Jordyn Chelsky

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