Dementia
Description/Introduction
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
Materials
- Computer
- Headphones
Procedure
- Complete the precursor simulations if you have already done so.
- Put in/on headphones.
- Adjust the volume to a minimum of 50 percent to fully experience the hallucination track.
- Begin playing the video and don’t stop it until you’re ready to reflect on your experience.
- When the hallucination track begins playing, you will have one minute to memorize the names of your family members.
- 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.
- Begin the activity when you hear an alarm sound.
- You will have 1 minute and 50 seconds to match the names to the faces.
- Another alarm will sound signalling the end of the activity.
- Take a couple of minutes to reflect on your experience using the questions below.
Reflection Questions
- 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?
- 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?
- 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
Simulation No. 2 - Dementia - PASSCODES
Welcome to Passcodes! You will take on the role of 77-year old Mrs. Smith, who is a former teacher experiencing early dementia symptoms. This game will give you insight into the challenges of memory loss and the frustration of forgetting simple tasks like passwords. This simulation aims to build empathy and understanding for those living with dementia.
Simulation Video
Duration of simulation - 2 minutes 01 second.
Full Simulation Guide
Materials
- Computer
- Headphones
Procedure
- Complete Introduction video if you have already done so.
- Put in/on headphones.
- Adjust the volume to a minimum of 50 percent to fully experience the hallucination track.
- Begin playing the video and don’t stop it until you’re ready to reflect on your experience.
- When the hallucination track begins playing, you will have one minute to memorize the passcodes.
- After one minute, the track will stop. Passwords will be shown on the screen. Continue to follow instructions on the video and locate the embedded activity on Google Forms.
- Begin the activity when the hallucination track has ended.
- Now, complete the Google Form without accessing the simulation video.
- Take a couple of minutes to reflect on your experience using the questions below.
Reflection Questions
- 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?
- 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?
- How do you feel about caring for individuals living with dementia after participation in this simulation? What impact did this simulation bring into your life course?
