A specially-adapted van offering an immersive virtual experience of what life is like for people living with dementia stopped off on Wirral this week.
I was among those who stepped aboard to take part in the highly visual and aural Virtual Dementia Tour experience when the vehicle called at the carpark of Home Instead in Prenton on Wednesday (August 7).
During our 15-minute session, we wore googles, headphones and spiky insoles and were asked to perform everyday tasks but with distorted vision, loud noises and sensory overload - which are said to replicate the sensory changes associated with the neurological condition, causing difficulty and distress.
Unfortunately, we were unable to take any pictures of our time on the bus, but what I can say is that the experience was invaluable and disorientating, offering what is described as 'a scientifically proven way to replicate dementia'.
Moving around in a small, dark space, unable to see clearly and trying to complete simple tasks with varying degrees of success was part of the challenge.
It certainly give me a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by people with the condition and loved ones who provide care for them.
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological conditions affecting the brain that worsen over time. It is the loss of the ability to think, remember and reason to levels that affect daily life and activities.
With the news this week that England has one of the highest rates of the condition in the world, the bus is exceptionally important to help people to understand exactly what Dementia is and how we can help to support them.
Among those taking part in the Dementia Tour experience at Home Instead on Wednesday were health care professionals and Home Instead's partner agencies.
Also attending was Rugby World Cup winner Steve Thompson MBE, who was diagnosed in 2020 with Dementia at the age of just 42.
Both Home Instead care company and Steve are keen to raise the profile of Dementia and raise awareness of how we can help to support those living with Dementia to help them to Live well.
On his own experience of living with the condition, Steve told the Globe: "I had diagnosis of early onset dementia called CTE through playing rugby, but I see that as the past. But there are so many different causes and from now on you have to live with it.
"Getting diagnosis is only one part of it and that's a hard time, because you go into it and then you go into denial and then it hits.
"Having my diagnosis, at first I was relieved, because I'd had years of everything just changing and not knowing why. You start thinking 'oh it's stress, it's working, it's age' all this stuff. I was in my 30s then.
"All of a sudden you get the diagnosis and all the guilt kicks in with my family; 'what have I put them through? what am I going to put them through?'.
"It was hard and I talk openly about a couple of times when I nearly committed suicide. I was the most selfish person at that time of diagnosis. The medication has helped a lot, as has my psychologist, Dr Gavin Newby.
"Somedays, I feel fine and then two or days later I can fall apart, just like that.
"I've got four children who are, at times, my carers. Even my little boy, who's five, looks after me when we're out and I get a bit confused sometimes. He automatically does it. It's good dad and child time.
"My reading ability's gone down a lot; I have difficulty understanding sometimes, getting confused and am living on the phone more for notes. It's having people around you that makes it easier to get by."
On the dementia bus, he said: "I haven't gone on the virtual bus, my wife has and thinks it's fantastic, but I don't want to just yet."
Home Instead has two branches in Wirral as well as in Chester and Liverpool South, looking after an estimated clients and employing around 300 staff.
Catherine Charlton, the company's co-director said the visit of the Dementia Experience Tour was extremely useful in terms of furthering education on the condition.
She explained: "Diagnosis of dementia is very much improving and we have to thank the health and social care staff for engaging with the professionals to increase diagnosis.
"It means more people are living with dementia and we're talking about it a lot more so, therefore, we have to make sure our workforce is adjusted to working well and understanding people with a diagnosis and how they manage their lives.
"Just because you have a diagnosis with dementia, that doesn't mean to say you can't live your best life.
"We are very focused on ensuring that all of our teams are very well educated and really understand what is happening to their clients and their clients' families, because they have an impact too.
"The feedback from members of the public who have tried the dementia experience bus has been very interesting. The mayor said it was 'discombobulating', which was a great way to describe what was happening.
"The feedback from people who have not got dementia or know anyone who is living with symptoms was that it is quite amazing and shocking to have this virtual experience.
"There are as many symptoms of dementia as there are people living with dementia."
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