The Dementia Experience
"Walk a mile in their shoes, and transform the care you give."
A full-day immersive simulation workshop that gives your care team a genuine, visceral understanding of what it feels like to live with dementia, and the practical skills to respond with compassion, confidence, and competence.
Why Immersive Simulation Changes Everything
Traditional dementia training tells staff what to do. The Dementia Experience shows them how it feels. That difference is everything.
See Through Their Eyes
Staff wear specialist simulation glasses that replicate the visual disturbances caused by dementia, including blurred peripheral vision, contrast loss, and depth perception changes, so they truly understand what residents experience every day.
Hear What They Hear
Auditory simulation equipment recreates the confusion of competing sounds, muffled speech, and auditory hallucinations. Staff leave with a profound appreciation of why a busy dining room can be overwhelming for someone living with dementia.
Feel What They Feel
Tactile gloves and mobility restrictors give staff a first-hand experience of the physical challenges of dementia, from struggling with buttons and cutlery to navigating an unfamiliar environment with reduced sensation.
Build Genuine Empathy
Research consistently shows that immersive simulation training produces lasting behaviour change in care staff. This is not a lecture; it is a lived experience that transforms the way your team approaches every interaction.
Transform Communication
Staff learn the Positive Physical Approach: approaching from the front, at eye level, with slower movements, and the critical importance of 'the pause' before reacting, dramatically reducing distress for residents.
Reframe Challenging Behaviour
Every 'difficult' behaviour is an expression of an unmet need. Staff leave equipped to decode these expressions, whether pain, hunger, or environmental overstimulation, and respond with compassion rather than frustration.
Full-Day Agenda
9:00 AM - 4:15 PM | On-site at your care home
Introduction to Dementia
An engaging introduction to the different types of dementia, including Alzheimer's, Lewy Body, Vascular, and more. We explore the neurobiology of dementia in accessible terms: what is happening in the brain, how it progresses, and crucially, what this means from the resident's perspective.
Life History & Identity
A person's identity does not disappear with dementia; it becomes more important than ever. This session explores the power of life history work, how to record it meaningfully, and practical tools including memory boxes and person-centred care planning.
Morning Break
The Simulation Experience
Core ExperienceThe heart of the day. Staff rotate through immersive round-robin stations wearing specialist simulation equipment, experiencing visual, auditory, tactile, and mobility challenges whilst attempting everyday tasks. This is where understanding becomes empathy.
Lunch Break
Debrief & Communication Skills
The most critical component of the day. A facilitated reflection on the feelings of vulnerability experienced during simulation. Staff learn the Positive Physical Approach and the transformative power of 'the pause': the moment between stimulus and response that can change everything.
Behaviours & Problem Solving
We reframe 'challenging behaviours' as 'adaptive behaviours', expressions of unmet needs. Staff learn a practical framework for identifying triggers (pain, hunger, environmental overstimulation) and responding with curiosity rather than correction.
Afternoon Break
Action Planning & Daily Living
Applying the day's insights to the routines that matter most, namely bathing, dressing, and dining, guided by the philosophy of 'doing with' rather than 'doing for'. Each participant leaves with a personal action plan to implement immediately.
Investment & Pricing
Everything your team needs for a transformative day of learning, delivered on-site at your care home.
Full-Day On-Site Workshop
Day rate + travel expenses
Everything Included
- Specialist simulation equipment for all stations
- Printed course notes for every participant
- Post-session report for the home manager
- Certificate of attendance for each participant
- Follow-up resources and reading list
Full payment required at time of booking. Secure payment processed via Google Calendar.
Booking Terms & Conditions
Payment
Full payment is required at the time of booking. No date will be held without payment. Payment is processed securely through Google Calendar at the time of booking.
Cancellation Policy
A minimum of 24 hours' notice is required for any cancellation or rescheduling. If notice is not given within this period, the full fee will be forfeited. We understand that care homes face unpredictable circumstances and will always endeavour to rearrange where possible with sufficient notice.
Travel Expenses
Travel expenses are charged in addition to the day rate and will be confirmed at the time of booking based on your location. We travel throughout the UK.
Regulatory Note
As an educational training provider, Outstanding Dementia Care does not provide personal care directly to residents and therefore does not require registration with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Our training is delivered in accordance with current dementia care best practice and evidence-based guidelines.
Ready to Transform Your Team?
Give your care staff the gift of understanding. Book The Dementia Experience and watch the quality of care in your home change, permanently.