Barton Will Host Dementia Simulation Experience on September 24

WILSON, N.C. — Have you ever wondered what it is like to live with dementia? Do you have a family member or friend with Alzheimer’s or a similar brain disease? Experience it for yourself in a safe and controlled setting at the Virtual Dementia Tour, coming to Barton College on Thursday, Sept. 24. This immersive event begins at 10 a.m. and continues until 4:15 p.m. in the Hamlin Student Center Theater. The experience takes about 15 minutes to complete. Timeslots are limited to four participants per 15-minute session, and reservations are now being accepted. This event is open to the public at no charge, and the community is invited to attend.

A comprehensive experiential training program designed for caregiving facilities and community organizations, the Virtual Dementia Tour is the only scientifically proven method of giving people with a healthy brain the experience of what Alzheimer’s, Frontal Lobe, Vascular, Lewy body, and other types of dementia might be like to live with.

“Families have always provided the most care for the older population,” explained Dr. Steven Fulks, associate professor of Gerontology at Barton College. “With the increase in both life expectancy and the number of older individuals in our society, that care is going on for many more years than in previous generations. Dementia only adds to the challenges of family caregiving. This program offers insights for those providing care to understand what the person with dementia is dealing with, and how they experience their world.”

Operated by the dementia team at Spring Arbor Assisted Living & Memory Care, the Virtual Dementia Tour is sponsored by Barton’s “Thursday Gerontology Seminar Series,” as well as the School of Allied Health and Sport Studies at Barton College.

For additional information and to reserve a timeslot, please contact Dr. Fulks at (252) 399-6570 or sfulks@barton.edu.

END