20121031 - Virtual Dementia

Monica Maschak - mmaschak@shawmedia.com Autumn Leaves Nurse Supervisor Pam Savoie folds clothes while demonstrating the Virtual Dementia Experience that all new nurses and employees are required to go through to gain more of an understaning of what it's like for those with dementia. The experience takes place in a model room as the subject completes basic tasks while wearing goggles, ear plugs, gloves filled with corn kernels and socks filled with rice to similate sensory restraints dementia and Altzheimers residents may feel. Autumn Leaves will have the Virtual Dementia Experience open to the public on Thursday, November 2, 2012.

Monica Maschak - mmaschak@shawmedia.com Gloves filled with corn kernels are worn during the simulation to demonstrate the difficulty some dementia residents may feel. Autumn Leaves has an upcoming event to show the public what dementia feels like through a series of sensory deficits.

Monica Maschak - mmaschak@shawmedia.com Savoie is seen wearing ear plugs and goggles as she demonstrates the Virtual Dementia Experience at Autumn Leaves in Crystal Lake on Wednesday, October 31, 2012. The assisted living facility requires all employees to go through the simiulation to gain empathy.