Project description

In Poland, dementia in elderly people is talked about in the context of the changes that accompany the normal ageing process. This is a fundamental error which has implications for the organisation of care in old age. Dementia is not a natural part of ageing - it is a complex and serious disease process that should be treated as a progressive disability of the sufferer. Meanwhile, due to limited exposure to knowledge in this area - of both the public and practitioners - diagnosis takes years, and non-pharmacological support understood as "support of independence by appropriate adjustment of the environment" is at least 10 years overdue. Unfortunately, neurophysiological knowledge is extremely difficult to communicate in a clear and understandable way to the average person. For several years our company has been running an original training programme on dementia, aimed at caregivers in nursing homes, family caregivers and employees of non-governmental organisations. The programme is based on the latest Anglo-Saxon models and methodologies. Through training, caregivers can understand the course of the disease, learn new practical skills in daily care with respect for the dignity of the sufferer, and give directions as to the design of the living space for the elderly. Through the project we will introduce a training service for carers, that uses virtual reality tools. Participants will be able to move into the world of people with dementia and gain comprehensive knowledge about its specificity, including solutions to support the elderly in living with the disease. The VR experience reduces the time needed to implement changes in care methods as the participant gets to understands the nature of the illness. An English-language licence for the Educational Dementia Immersive Experience (EDIE) application will be purchased, together with virtual reality technology equipment (16 Oculus Go headsets), and a Polish-language version of the software will be developed.