Virtual Reality Offers a Window into Life with Dementia
Fact checked by Ros Lederman Virtual reality (VR) dementia simulations — offered through headsets at some care facilities, hospitals, and training centers — immerse users in the disorienting, often frustrating world that people with memory loss experience. As participants attempt to perform simple tasks amidst flickering lights, garbled instructions, or background noise that mimics auditory […]
Dementia in Dollars
Family and friends shoulder the real cost of dementia − $224 billion in unpaid care By Amy Lastuka, University of Washington About 5.5 million Americans live with dementia, requiring $53 billion in annual medical spending on doctor visits, hospitalizations, medications, home health aides, and nursing homes. But the true cost of dementia care in the […]
Virtual Reality Enables Empathetic Dementia Care
Catherine Samatas recently traveled from Deerfield to Israel with residents of the assisted living home where she works. But instead of packing suitcases and boarding a plane, Samatas and the residents settled into their seats and donned virtual reality (VR) headsets. As director of engagement and innovative programming for CJE Senior Life, an organization that […]
4 Ways to Build Meaning for People with Dementia
Keep these tips in mind to bring out their best 1. Remember who they are When working with families, Aishling Dalton Kelly, CEO of Aishling Care Academy and Aishling Companion Home Care, first finds out what the person’s lifelong preferences have been. What’s their favorite color, music, and food? Do they love to help around the […]
My Dad’s Dementia
Caring for my father shows the true importance of love As told to Lisa Fields Joliet resident Jennie Herrmann, 45, shares her experience taking care of her father, who had dementia. Here are her words, as told to Caregiving writer Lisa Fields. Herrmann’s father, Art Kries, passed away in April 2022, shortly after this interview, at […]