D-Esc, Dementia Australia’s innovative Virtual Reality (VR) workshop, trains health and aged care workers on how to respond to changed behaviours in a person living with dementia.
St Vincent’s Care Services Hawthorn care worker Pauline said the training was very different from other dementia training she had undertaken because it was so realistic.
“It was very, very useful and I think it’s very different from any other dementia training I’ve had because it was basically almost the same as hands-on training,” Pauline said.
The virtual reality training creates a ‘real’ behavioural emergency for an aged care worker.
The experience involves avatars – George a person living with dementia who is upset and expressing his frustration and Raya the care/support worker. Using person-centred de-escalation skills, the training allows participants to workshop how to de-escalate the emergency safely, without harm to themselves, their colleagues or the person living with dementia.
“It was putting you right in the situation,” Pauline said. “The virtual reality was really quite unbelievable; it was very realistic. It was incredibly helpful to work through the scenarios from the real-life situation that you were put in.”
D-Esc teaches strategies for de-escalating a behavioural emergency in a care setting and helps participants build empathy and understanding.
The ultimate aim of D-Esc is to reduce the use of restrictive practices as well as tackle the number and severity of dangerous incidents in care when responding to the changed behaviours of a person living with dementia.
Workforce training is integral to quality dementia care
Dementia Australia Executive Director of Services, Advocacy and Research Dr Kaele Stokes said the workshop provided training that was integral to the safety and professional development of the workforce and improving the care of people living with dementia.
“Behavioural emergencies in aged care are time-critical emergencies,” Dr Stokes said.
“We know that dementia can change people’s perception of what is going on around them and their responses to that stimuli.
“People living with dementia may feel anxious, fearful, distressed, confused. They may also be in pain or disorientated. Sometimes the way they are experiencing a situation may mean a person is unable to communicate how they feel or what they are experiencing.
“Additionally, the way a care worker communicates with a person living with dementia is vital. Communication is not just talking. Gestures, movement and facial expressions can all convey meaning. Body language and physical contact become even more significant when comprehending speech is difficult for a person with dementia.”