Using VR education to help dementia patients with dining

A workshop designed to support aged care workers in improving meal times for dementia patients has been launched.

Dine with Ted (VR), offered by Dementia Australia, uses virtual reality technology and best practice principles to deliver dementia education.

The three-hour-long face-to-face workshop uses VR and avatar technology to see the dining experience through the eyes of someone living with dementia and demonstrates how physical, environmental and communication factors can cause changes in behaviour.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said the workshop is an immersive way for participants to enhance their skills, utilise a problem-solving approach to behaviours and optimise the dining experience for people living with dementia.

“For people living with dementia in community, home or residential care, a positive dining experience is so important,” she said.

“Dine with Ted (VR) responds to the upcoming strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards around dining experiences for people living in aged care, as they have an elevated importance.”

Rachel Mead, Regional Quality and Improvement Manager (South) at Regis Aged Care, experienced Dine with Ted (VR) and said the VR environment was realistic to the day-to-day work in providing a dining experience for residents.

“The technology used can really transport people to capture different perspectives. It was eye-opening,” Mead said.

The workshop is suitable for staff providing support to people living with dementia in various care settings, including residential and home care.

Image credit: iStock.com/Toa55