Community comes together for dementia experience tour bus event
Dementia Bus Tour Events
It was a special day recently when we welcomed people from the community to our dementia experience tour bus event. It gave people the rare opportunity to step into the shoes of someone living with the condition.
Supporting thousands of people across the UK who live with dementia, we were keen to offer an experience that helps people understand the daily challenges it presents. The bus, owned by Training2Care and sponsored by Home Instead, is supported by medical research and uses technology to replicate the sensory changes associated with dementia. Having partnered up with Training2Care last year, we were keen to bring our very own Home Instead branded bus to our national office in Warrington.
Participants wear goggles, headphones and spiky insoles before undergoing the immersive experience, where they are asked to perform everyday tasks but with distorted vision, loud noises and sensory overload.
It wasn’t just our national office that Home Instead hosted an event. We were delighted to see several of our franchise teams across the country, from Brighton to Northwich, host their own event throughout August, raising awareness of dementia all over the UK.
The experience included a debrief to help participants understand what they have experienced as well as sharing useful tips and strategies to make the world a better place for people living with dementia. It was a tearjerker for many, particularly those who have loved ones living with the condition.
When families make enquiries about our dementia care, we often find that they aren’t clued up on the condition and don’t know how best to support their loved ones. It’s crucial we get people talking about it and lift the taboo, not only so we can help older family members but people in the community too.
Ruth Brown, chief operating officer of Home Instead UK, says: “My mother was diagnosed with mixed dementia five years ago. I’ve worked for Home Instead for 15 years and have learnt a lot about dementia in that time, but nothing can prepare you when a loved one is diagnosed. I knew it would be tough, but I was keen to undergo the experience myself to gain a better understanding of the condition my mother is living with.
“I was delighted to see the event so well-attended; it’s a sign that we’re moving towards a future where we’re more dementia aware. There are nearly a million people in the UK living with dementia, and that’s set to grow to 1.4 million by 2040. It’s important for all of us to take up every chance we get to learn more.”
Amongst the guests were clients’ family members, representatives from Home Instead’s national office team and Louise Lynch, who hosts a podcast called ‘Do I Sound Like I Care?’, which explores the role of caring for family members, with a focus on dementia.