We have all heard, read or in some way have come in contact with dementia. The most well known is Alzheimer’s. But none of us knows what someone with dementia really experiences. That is until now.

I was recently invited to personally experience the Dementia Virtual Tour at Arden Courts in Allentown. I was greeted by Karen Francis, their Marketing Director. Before starting the tour I filled out a questionnaire on my attitudes regarding dementia.

Karen explained what would happen next - I would have most of my senses significantly blocked after which I would be asked to perform several tasks which Karen briefed me on before starting.

I was fitted with clothes and props for the tour. This consisted of a white lab coat, glasses that restricted my vision by blacking out the middle of my field of vision and putting a foggy yellow hue on what remained of my sight. The handsome devil in the photo is yours truly before setting out on the “tour”.

I wore headphones through which a constant volume of music distracted my hearing and concentration. Lastly, I put on latex surgical gloves with grains of rice at the ends. My sense of touch was diminished to say the least.

All this helps you experience what an aging person with dementia lives with every day: very poor eyesight, poor hearing coupled with confusion, and restricted tactile sensation due to restricted blood flow and edema in the extremities. I was disoriented even before we began my virtual tour. 

Next I would go to my living quarters at Arden Courts. At this point Karen had to hold my hand and help my to my “room”. As I stepped into the room there was a large strobe light and loud sounds playing making it extremely difficult to concentrate or even walk without bumping into the furniture in the room. This also simulates dementia symptoms.

I now had to perform the tasks she had given me earlier (put on a plaid shirt, match 6 pairs of socks on a bed, fill a cup with water, find a necktie and put it on, write a note to my family and others).

As you can imagine the tasks were almost impossible to perform no matter how trivial. As I struggled with the simplest task, such as finding and putting on a plaid shirt, I became more and more frustrated and angry and impatient (which of course made it all the worse).

Seasoned caregivers that go through this experience are often emotionally drained and overwhelmed by the experience. There is no doubt that knowing what a patient experiences can lead to better understanding and therefore better care.

At the end of my 10 minutes Karen mercifully put it to a stop. I must admit to relief that my ordeal was over while at the same time realizing that so many of our fellow citizens deal with this every day. I now have a much different perspective. Empathy would be too weak a word. Suffice to say that my perspective has been altered permanently.