Taking care of a loved one at the end of their life can often be a stressful and confusing task, so Fairfax County wants to help.
The Virginia county is offering a new virtual training series, developed by Embodied Labs, called Exploring the Dimensions of Aging through Virtual Reality. It allows participants to step into the shoes of their loved ones to experience what it’s like to be an older adult encountering various challenges in everyday situations.
The Beatriz Lab puts participants in the shoes of a woman experiencing progressive Alzheimer’s disease. They can experience how it impacts her communication, thinking and emotional well-being, while also learning ways to help her feel safe, supported and maintain a better quality of life.
The Dima Lab puts you in the shoes of a woman experiencing visual disturbances and changes in motor functions due to the progression of her Lewy Body Dementia, teaching you how to promote independence and preserve dignity.
Participants can learn what to expect in their loved one’s final days through the Clay Lab, which allows you to embody a man coping with terminal illness and moving into hospice care.
Other sessions offer lessons on navigating caregiver burn out, intervention and de-escalation and trauma-informed care.
The virtual 75- minute sessions are held via Microsoft Teams. Schedule and registration can be found on Fairfax County’s website.
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