North Carolina Virtual Dementia Tour®
Project Complete
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Second Wind Dreams® (SWD), Inc. has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to use Civil Money Penalty funding (CMP) in North Carolina’s skilled nursing homes. The project is for two years total and will train nursing home staff on how to better identify with residents with dementia and improve care. SWD will provide hands-on, experiential training in 200 certified nursing homes in the state of North Carolina through the use of the Virtual Dementia Tour® at NO COST TO NURSING HOMES. Nursing homes will also receive person-centered assessment of staff performance before and after the tour.
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Eligible Nursing Homes will receive:
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~Virtual Dementia Tour conducted by a Second Wind Dreams certified trainer
~Designation as a “Dementia-Sensitive Environment” ~Person-centered assessment of staff performance ~Virtual Dementia Tour conducted in the local community ~CEU credit for multiple domains ~Staff in-service training ALL AT NO COST TO YOUR NURSING HOME |
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VDT Testimonials:
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“AWESOME! AWESOME! The response from staff since going through the experience has been just awesome. So many different emotions and responses. Definite game changer! Thank you!” –(Jody F., Activity Director)
“Your staff showed very good leadership skills and very good communication skills in the set-up process. I rate this training a 10! I will never see dementia residents the same way. This training gave me an eye-opener to what residents go through on a regular basis.” - (Sheila R., Administrator) |
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“On behalf of the staff and myself, I would like to thank you. We enjoyed the Virtual Dementia Tour, as well as, your debrief sessions. Thanks to the tour, our employees have a better understanding of the struggles our residents with dementia have each day. We look forward to scheduling the class again this year.” –(Nick L., Administrator)
“Just wanted to let you know that I have seen such a difference in the CNA’s since the Tour. I have seen them less stressed, more patient and soft spoken. The CNA’s said the Tour was such an eye opener! Thanks!” –(Deborah W., RN)
“Just wanted to let you know that I have seen such a difference in the CNA’s since the Tour. I have seen them less stressed, more patient and soft spoken. The CNA’s said the Tour was such an eye opener! Thanks!” –(Deborah W., RN)
Frequently Asked Questions:
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What is the Virtual Dementia Tour?
The Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT®) is the patented, ground-breaking, and evidence-based method of building a greater understanding of dementia. It is a scientifically proven method that builds sensitivity and awareness. The VDT uses patented sensory tools and instruction based on research conducted by P.K. Beville, geriatric specialist and founder of Second Wind Dreams®. The VDT enables people to personally experience the physical and cognitive challenges facing those with dementia by “walking in their shoes.” This experience results in better person-centered care. When conducted regularly, the VDT has been shown to decrease psychoactive medication and acute hospitalization for behavioral incidents. The Virtual Dementia Tour offers hope by providing practical ways to create an environment that supports the disease and increases understanding. |
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How do you know if this is what it’s really like to have dementia?
The Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT®) is the result of years of research starting in 2002. Extensive and continued research is done to ensure as accurate a simulation of dementia as possible. Click here for a list of many of the studies done regarding the VDT.
Development of simulation tools that result in dementia-like behavior in a normal person is the challenge in the VDT. Several avenues were used to create the development of sensitivity training tools used in the simulation: behavior observations of people in the middle stage of dementia in both home and long-term care settings, interviews with people with dementia, cognitive assessments, brain imaging and other data.
How do you know if the VDT is changing the behavior of those who care for people with dementia?
The need for observable and measurable outcomes in dementia care, especially in the areas of competency, sensitivity, empathy, dignity and respect, is imperative. The Dementia Aware Competency Evaluation (DACE) is designed to meet that need. Based on 30 years of research, this approach can be used in any caregiving setting and as a benchmark of caregiver performance over time.
The DACE is administered by a person trained in dementia care (i.e. administrator, supervisor, director of nursing) and used to measure the competency of the caregiver’s ability to engage positivity with those living with cognitive impairments.
It is recommended that the DACE assessment is conducted BEFORE and AFTER dementia training, which may include the Virtual Dementia Tour® program (VDT) to determine the success of the training program.
This method of learning allows for real-world feedback and training based on the caregiver’s specific situation. DACE indicators have been developed according to best practices associated with positive outcomes of care. This approach follows the principles of person-centered care.
How is the VDT useful to my organization?
Once a person takes the Tour, they are more aware of how to provide “person centered-care” to those with dementia because they have just experienced what those with dementia are living with every day. This personal experience allows participants to examine how they would like to be treated and encourages them to use their experience as the example by which they treat people with dementia. It builds staff to resident rapport. State surveyors look for examples of person centered care. It prepares elder care communities for new CMS guidelines outlining requirements for dementia training and development of care policies and the need for ALL staff to be trained. Use the VDT as an on-boarding tool, as well.
The VDT can be provided to your local community allowing you and your entity to be viewed as the “expert” in the field of dementia. This allows for excellent marketing advantage.
The VDT isn’t just the experience; it’s also an in-depth debrief session to help staff understand why some residents have difficult behavior. In-services are interactive and allow the staff to discuss their experience while learning the clinical reasons for the way they behaved.
It can help reduce the use of psychotropic medication, which in turn leads to a whole host of positive outcomes in care and cost.
How will the VDT change the behavior of staff in my organization?
Once they have walked in the shoes of a person with cognitive decline, staff state that they will be more patient, understanding, less hurried, more sensitive to what is going on around the resident, among other things. Even simply turning on more lights, turning off the TV, turning on music and cutting down on loud abrupt noise make all the difference to a person with dementia, and staff become more aware of these easy strategies after the experience.
How often should the VDT be conducted?
The VDT should be conducted at least once every 9 months. This allows for ongoing staff training with measurable results, as provided by the VDT and DACE via Pre/Post surveys and empirical data from reports through DACE software.
The Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT®) is the result of years of research starting in 2002. Extensive and continued research is done to ensure as accurate a simulation of dementia as possible. Click here for a list of many of the studies done regarding the VDT.
Development of simulation tools that result in dementia-like behavior in a normal person is the challenge in the VDT. Several avenues were used to create the development of sensitivity training tools used in the simulation: behavior observations of people in the middle stage of dementia in both home and long-term care settings, interviews with people with dementia, cognitive assessments, brain imaging and other data.
How do you know if the VDT is changing the behavior of those who care for people with dementia?
The need for observable and measurable outcomes in dementia care, especially in the areas of competency, sensitivity, empathy, dignity and respect, is imperative. The Dementia Aware Competency Evaluation (DACE) is designed to meet that need. Based on 30 years of research, this approach can be used in any caregiving setting and as a benchmark of caregiver performance over time.
The DACE is administered by a person trained in dementia care (i.e. administrator, supervisor, director of nursing) and used to measure the competency of the caregiver’s ability to engage positivity with those living with cognitive impairments.
It is recommended that the DACE assessment is conducted BEFORE and AFTER dementia training, which may include the Virtual Dementia Tour® program (VDT) to determine the success of the training program.
This method of learning allows for real-world feedback and training based on the caregiver’s specific situation. DACE indicators have been developed according to best practices associated with positive outcomes of care. This approach follows the principles of person-centered care.
How is the VDT useful to my organization?
Once a person takes the Tour, they are more aware of how to provide “person centered-care” to those with dementia because they have just experienced what those with dementia are living with every day. This personal experience allows participants to examine how they would like to be treated and encourages them to use their experience as the example by which they treat people with dementia. It builds staff to resident rapport. State surveyors look for examples of person centered care. It prepares elder care communities for new CMS guidelines outlining requirements for dementia training and development of care policies and the need for ALL staff to be trained. Use the VDT as an on-boarding tool, as well.
The VDT can be provided to your local community allowing you and your entity to be viewed as the “expert” in the field of dementia. This allows for excellent marketing advantage.
The VDT isn’t just the experience; it’s also an in-depth debrief session to help staff understand why some residents have difficult behavior. In-services are interactive and allow the staff to discuss their experience while learning the clinical reasons for the way they behaved.
It can help reduce the use of psychotropic medication, which in turn leads to a whole host of positive outcomes in care and cost.
How will the VDT change the behavior of staff in my organization?
Once they have walked in the shoes of a person with cognitive decline, staff state that they will be more patient, understanding, less hurried, more sensitive to what is going on around the resident, among other things. Even simply turning on more lights, turning off the TV, turning on music and cutting down on loud abrupt noise make all the difference to a person with dementia, and staff become more aware of these easy strategies after the experience.
How often should the VDT be conducted?
The VDT should be conducted at least once every 9 months. This allows for ongoing staff training with measurable results, as provided by the VDT and DACE via Pre/Post surveys and empirical data from reports through DACE software.
Do you need help getting started?
Contact the NC Grant Team today for more information about how you can be successful with enrolling into the NC Virtual Dementia Tour! Call 470-242-0170 or email us at grants@secondwind.org.
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