The power of immersive dementia education and walking in their shoes

When Glenn Bradley, Manager of Alzheimers Tauranga, first heard that the Educational Dementia Immersive Experience (EDIE) programme would be available in his region, he saw more than just a training opportunity.

“I wanted to use it as a way to bring our stakeholders together, and to help them really understand what it’s like to live with dementia mate wareware and how their roles in various sectors can make a difference.”

Developed by Dementia Australia and delivered in Aotearoa New Zealand through Alzheimers NZ’s Dementia Learning Centre, EDIE uses virtual reality to immerse participants in the world of a person living with dementia mate wareware.

The three-hour experience allows users to “walk in someone else’s shoes” and gain a first-hand sense of the challenges many people might face.

Glenn used the visit as a catalyst for collaboration.

Over two days, Alzheimers Tauranga hosted local MPs, council staff, funders, and Health New Zealand representatives alongside team members and community partners.

For most of the 30 participants, it was their first direct encounter with the realities of dementia mate wareware.

“The reaction was pretty consistent,” says Glenn. “Confronting, but enlighteningly so. You could see people coming out of it with a new level of empathy.”

Participants described the experience as emotionally powerful, sparking discussions about small, practical ways to make environments more dementia-friendly.

For Glenn, that empathy is vital for advocacy.

“Dementia isn’t well understood by the wider public,” he says. “So, when people can experience it this way, they see why organisations like ours need to be well-resourced.

“They can connect the dots between funding, support, and quality of life for families.”

The exercise also reminded Alzheimers Tauranga staff of the importance of continual learning.

“Our team is already highly skilled and very experienced, but EDIE offered fresh insight and reinforced why what we do matters.”

Glenn hopes to see the programme become more widely available.

“It’s such a powerful tool, but access is currently a little bit limited. If we can make experiences like EDIE more affordable and more frequent, they can play a big role in building understanding and improving support.

“For every person living with dementia, we want greater dignity, better wellbeing, and more control over their lives. Experiences like EDIE help all of us move closer to that.”

For more information about the Educational Dementia Immersive Experience, email the Dementia Learning Centre Director, Caroline Bartle.