What if you could truly feel what it is like to live with dementia? Our Dementia Live® programme does exactly that, and we are now bringing it to the wider community.
People living with dementia in Ireland today
New dementia diagnoses in Ireland every year
Projected cases in Ireland by 2045
Caring for someone living with dementia is about far more than tasks and ticking boxes. It is about understanding their world, seeing life through their eyes, and responding with genuine compassion rather than routine. At Heritage Home Care, we believe that true understanding comes from experience, not just education, and that is exactly why we have invested in one of the most powerful training tools available to the healthcare sector today.
We are proud to offer our staff the Dementia Live® programme, developed by the AGE-u-cate Training Institute, and we are now excited to extend this transformative experience to families, students, and the wider community across Ireland.
About the Programme
What is Dementia Live®?
The programme uses specialist equipment to temporarily alter how participants see, hear and feel the world. With impaired vision, distorted sound, and reduced touch sensitivity, participants then attempt everyday tasks, setting a table, sorting objects, following simple instructions.
The result is not just knowledge. It is felt understanding, the kind that stays with a person long after they leave the room.
"All of the content in the world cannot compare to the impact Dementia Live® has on a person's understanding of and response to someone living with dementia."
K. Hawver, Director of Activities, Teresian House | AGE-u-cate Training Institute
The Experience
How the Simulation Works
Each Dementia Live® session takes participants through three carefully structured phases, guided by a certified coach throughout:
1
Preparation & Sensory Adjustment
Participants are fitted with specially designed equipment, including darkened glasses to simulate tunnel vision and reduced clarity, and adapted gloves that limit dexterity and touch sensitivity. This mirrors real sensory changes experienced by people living with dementia.
2
The Experience Room
3
Empowerment & Debrief
Why It Matters in Ireland
Dementia in Ireland: The Facts
People currently living with dementia in Ireland, with cases nearly doubling every five years over the age of 65
New cases diagnosed in Ireland every single year, the equivalent of 30 new diagnoses every day
Projected number of people living with dementia in Ireland by 2045, more than doubling today's figures
The annual cost of dementia care in Ireland, with 48% carried by families providing unpaid care at home
Behind every statistic is a family, a carer, a neighbour, a friend. Dementia affects memory and communication, alters perception, and removes the ability to carry out everyday tasks that most of us take completely for granted. Without proper understanding, the resulting anxiety, withdrawal and frustration can be made significantly worse by well-meaning people who simply do not know what the person is experiencing.
That is the gap Dementia Live® closes.
"I will never look at dementia the same way again."
Participant feedback following a Dementia Live® session, Heritage Home Care
The Impact
From Training to Transformation
Traditional dementia training relies on information delivery: facts, figures, guidelines and best practice. Dementia Live® does something different. It creates a personal, visceral connection to the experience that no amount of classroom learning can replicate.
Research published in Issues on Mental Health Nursing studied the impact of Dementia Live® on nursing students and found significant improvements across several dimensions of empathy, including cognitive empathy, empathetic imagination, and motivation to help. The study, led by Texas Christian University, concluded that experiential simulation dramatically improves both knowledge and emotional understanding of dementia.
- Greater empathy and patience in day-to-day care interactions
- Improved communication approaches that reduce frustration and distress
- More person-centred care that responds to the individual's reality, not just their diagnosis
- Better outcomes for clients, their families, and their wider support networks
- Lasting behavioural change that stays with participants far beyond the training room
Our Commitment at Heritage Home Care
We have trained certified Dementia Live® coaches across our organisation, meaning we can deliver this experience directly, consistently, and with expert facilitation to our teams at every level. This is not a one-off initiative. It forms part of our core commitment to high-quality, person-centred home care.
Dementia Live® is central to how we onboard new carers, support continuing professional development, and ensure that every person we support, regardless of their condition, feels truly understood. Because when we understand the experience, we can genuinely improve the care.
Open To All
Bringing It to the Wider Community
Family Carers
Supporting a loved one with dementia at home
Healthcare Students
Nurses, social workers, occupational therapists
Community Groups
Local organisations building dementia-friendly communities
Local Organisations
Businesses, faith communities, voluntary groups
