Kumeu Village pioneers CarePlay pilot in dementia training

When Kumeu Village was invited to pilot CarePlay, a role-playing video game designed to enhance dementia care skills, General Manager and Director of Nursing Debbie McCusker didn’t hesitate.

She saw it as a way to give her team a fresh perspective on how they support residents living with dementia mate wareware.

“I’ve been in dementia care nearly 20 years,” McCusker says. “But even for me, CarePlay made me stop and think about the words I was using. It was an eye-opener.”

Developed by Mentia Health’s Chief Scientist, CarePlay allows care partners to practise responses to everyday scenarios in a safe, virtual environment.

The Dementia Learning Centre, part of Alzheimers NZ, is introducing the tool to New Zealand this September during World Alzheimer’s Month.

The pilot at Kumeu Village involved five staff across different roles, including a memory care manager, activity coordinator, care staff, and Debbie herself.

Rosters made it hard to gather as a group, so each person trialled the game in their own time.

“It wasn’t about testing them. It was about giving them a different point of view on dementia care,” Debbie says.

One of the most striking lessons came from language.

Instead of pointing out a spill on clothing, which could embarrass a resident, staff learned to reframe.

“Now we say: ‘That blue jumper really suits you, shall we try it on?’. It changed the way we’re actually working and it’s working better.”

The game also created a safe space for trial and error.

Care partners could test different approaches, see what worked, and try again without consequences.

“Obviously you can’t use a resident as an experiment, but CarePlay lets you practise until you get it right.”

Staff with English as a second language found it especially helpful in learning what to say, and what not to say, in sensitive moments.

The pilot’s success means CarePlay is now being woven into Kumeu Village’s ongoing training.

Household meetings will feature short sessions using the tool, and scenarios will be shared at upcoming all-staff gatherings.

“It opens up conversations about what we could or should be doing in any given situation, and what might others try. That kind of collaboration is invaluable.”

For Debbie, the potential impact is clear. CarePlay as just as valuable for newcomers as for seasoned care partners.

“Some people think they know it all, but even I had to rethink my own practice.”

With the Dementia Learning Centre bringing CarePlay to New Zealand this September, Kumeu Village’s pilot shows what’s possible: a tool that refreshes skills, builds confidence, and improves the quality of care for people living with dementia mate wareware.