From UK Now:
University of Kentucky Human Resources Elder Care is hosting two events for Senior Caregivers Week, Nov. 1-3.
The Virtual Dementia Tour runs from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1 and Wednesday, Nov. 2, at the Gaines Center for the Humanities/Commonwealth House located at 226 E. Maxwell St.
The tour, a product of Second Wind Dreams, is a simulation that allows participants to experience life through the eyes of someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The simulation helps participants better understand what people with dementia experience on a day-to-day basis. It is not a diagnosis of whether someone has dementia or will develop dementia later in their life.
Two participants will go through the simulation at 15-minute intervals, and there are slots for 26 participants each day.
The simulation will take approximately 30 minutes from start to finish. Participants will need to arrive a few minutes early to receive instruction and acquaint themselves with the surroundings. If participants are late, they may be asked to reschedule for a future simulation date.
Spots are reserved by appointment only. Those wishing to attend can reserve their time here.
On Thursday, Nov. 3, an Elder Care lunch and learn session, Sensory Systems and Dementia, will be presented by Elizabeth Rhodus with the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging from noon to 1 p.m. via Zoom. Rhodus will discuss the various sensory systems and how sensation and perception are altered with the onset of cognitive impairment. She will provide tips on how to improve communication styles with a loved one; tips to start using right now.
Sign up for the event here.
For information on Senior Caregivers Week, contact HR Elder Care Specialist Terri-Applegate-Weber at 859-218-0457 or terri.weber@uky.edu.
At UK HR Elder Care our goal for the Senior Caregiving Week is to provide caregivers with information and tools they can use in their day-to-day caregiving. Every person with dementia experiences the condition differently. Gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with dementia.
The events
Virtual Dementia Tour. Have you ever wondered what life with dementia is like? What would you see, feel, hear and comprehend? Why would you do the things you do?
The Virtual Dementia Tour, a product of Second Wind Dreams, is a powerful simulation that allows participants to experience the life of someone living with Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias. The tour uses an evidence-based method that helps caregivers gain an understanding and build a sensitivity to the needs of those living with dementia. Using sensory tools and instruction, you will be guided through common everyday tasks and exercises that will alter your senses to mimic the various manifestations of dementia. The tour allows you to experience for yourself the physical and cognitive challenges those with dementia face.
This is a unique experience. Here is what prior attendees have said about the Virtual Dementia Tour:
“I had no idea.”
“Everyone on the planet needs to experience this!”
“Now I get it. It never ends for them, and it’s my job to make people with dementia feel safe and secure as I can.”
“It’s the disease behaving badly, not the person.”
Please note: This does not provide a diagnosis of whether someone has dementia or will develop dementia later in their life. When: Tuesday, November 1, and Wednesday, November 2, 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Appointments for the tour are required, and sessions are scheduled on the quarter-hour. Where: Gaines Center for the Humanities, Commonwealth House – Second floor, 226 East Maxwell St. Please note this building is NOT handicap accessible. Registration: To learn more about this event and to register, click here. Community resources The following community resources will be on hand to provide additional information:
- The Alzheimer’s Association
- Bluegrass Area Agency on Aging & Independent Living
- Bluegrass Care Navigators
- Dementia Friendly Lexington
- UK Sanders Brown Center on Aging
Parking is not provided. Please visit UK Transportation Services.
Parking Options 1. E Lot parking may be available if you have a single-day permit (also called a "scratch-off" permit) 2. Joe Craft Center E Lot – directly behind the Gaines Center between Rose Street and Lexington Avenue 3. Linden Walk area E Lots:
- Helen King Alumni Center
- Stuckert Career Center
- William E. and Casiana Schmidt Vocal Arts Center.
4. The corner of High Street and Lexington Avenue E Lot 5. Street parking may be available along Lexington Avenue – rate $2 /hour
Lunch & learn presentation Sensory Systems & Dementia, with Dr. Elizabeth Rhodus, PhD, OTR/L, Assistant Professor – UK College of Medicine, Department of Behavioral Health and Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
Over time, the five senses – sight, hearing (including comprehension), touch, smell and taste – can change for a person living with dementia. These changes can affect their behavior, their ability to communicate and their relationships with us. Dr. Rhodus will discuss the various sensory systems and how sensation and perception are altered with the onset of cognitive impairment.
When: Thursday, November 3, noon – 1 p.m. Where: Online via Zoom Registration: To learn more about this event and to register, click here. The facts
- Dementia is not a specific disease. It is a catch-all term for a group of symptoms that affects a person’s memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to impair their daily life. It is a progressive condition that over time limits a person’s ability to function independently, leaving the person dependent on others for care.
- Those with dementia may have a difficult time describing what is happening to them. They may find it hard to initiate a conversation or any activity by themselves. Confusion, memory loss and the inability to recognize familiar faces are all part of it.
- The Alzheimer’s Association 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures estimates there are more than 6.5 million Americans over 65 years old living with Alzheimer’s or other related dementias. Alzheimer’s disease accounts for 60% to 80% of these cases.
- Other forms of dementia include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, Parkinson’s disease-related dementia and frontotemporal dementia.
- Most of those living with dementia are cared for by family and friends in their home.
- There are more than 11 million Americans providing more than 16 billion hours of unpaid care for their loved ones with Alzheimer’s or other related dementias.