My dementia simulation experience was on Tuesday September 17th at Niagara College. I didn’t quite know what to expect as I personally haven’t known anyone who suffered from dementia. The experience started by us gearing up in threads that altered different senses. I experienced what it would be like to have glaucoma/ impaired vision, loss of circulation and pins and needles in my feet, arthritis and loss of dexterity, as well as being very confused with impaired hearing. Right now, I live a very busy life, I go to school full time, work in between, and have a bit of a social life. Simple everyday tasks for me would include brushing my teeth, doing laundry, preparing food, texting, reading, writing, multitasking, bathing, driving, cleaning and much more. I enjoy walking the dog, going for hikes, shopping, going out for food, being crafty, visiting family and much more.
After my experience in the dementia simulation, I don’t think that I could really do or enjoy much of the things listed. My everyday life would definitely 100% be impacted by dementia. I would be confused which would make me frustrated and annoyed. Now that I have an idea of what a person with dementia may be going through, my dental hygiene care will be altered. I would speak slow and if necessary, loud to the client. I would consult with their caregiver when needed as they may not even remember many things that we discussed. They may not even be able to grasp a tooth brush due to loss of dexterity in their hands therefore we may want to have a large grip on their toothbrush handle. Depending on what they are capable of doing the caregiver may need to be taught the patients OHC/ recommendations for oral hygiene self-practices. If the client is elder or many medications it is likely that the will have xerostomia so Biotene mouth rinse or mouth spray may be a good choice.
I believe that the simulation was a very good learning experience for anyone who is going into the workplace with potential to encounter people/ clients with this condition. Even if one wasn’t going to be working with someone with dementia doing the simulation would make everyone in the community more aware and understanding of how we must interact with these individuals. By having background knowledge on the condition, it would allow us to recognize the symptoms of the disease and be able to allow us to adapt to the changes and recognize their coping strategies. One patient may have hearing issues and, one may have visual issues, and some may experience both.
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