The on-site training
From 12 to 14 October 2021, the first training of the project INTenSE – Improving demeNtia care Through Self-Experience took place at Dublin City University, in Dublin. After a year of meetings and online activities due to Covid-19, the project partners for the first time met in person. In addition to the partnership members, a number of healthcare workers who care for people with dementia were involved in the initiative.
The project
The main aim of the Erasmus+ INTenSE project is to train healthcare professionals to improve their care for people with dementia. Through self-experience techniques, i.e. simulation of conditions and symptoms of people with dementia, the goal is to increase the empathy of professionals. During the training, participants tested different self-experience technologies such as VR glasses, Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT) and serious games, and techniques, such as role play and drama workshop, to evaluate their effectiveness.
The first Intellectual Output
In the last months, we have achieved the first results necessary for the creation of subsequent project outputs. An accurate scientific research was conducted (scoping review) and direct witnesses of professionals were collected (through focus groups) regarding the knowledge of self-experience techniques. This has contributed to the creation of an e-booklet (Intellectual Output 1), i.e. the collection in digital format of these previous results.
The training activities
During this experience, participants had the opportunity to discuss, confront each other, interact and try out technologies and self-experience techniques. The program of the three days, was divided into 5 different topics:
- Topic 1: “Understanding Dementia & Dementia care Approaches”
- Topic 2: “Self-Experience of Dementia & Ethical Considerations”
- Topic 3: “Self-Experience Tools – Interactive Session”
- Topic 4: “Participatory research & Facilitation – dissemination planning & early results”
- Topic 5: “Co-Design for web platform”
What’s next
In view of the next training, scheduled for June 2022, the work will continue with the final choice of technologies to be included in a toolkit, i.e. a collection of strategies and technologies that simulate the symptoms of dementia, and the development of the web platform for exchanging of knowledge and best practices between users and the collection of project material.
To learn more about the project and stay updated on the activities, please come to visit us at this link.