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Employees at Belmont Village Lakeway participated in a customized training exercise called the Aging Game to help them provide better care by experiencing a range of conditions that are sometimes found in aging—from hearing impairment and dexterity limitations to balance disorders and visual impairment.
The Aging Game began with a discussion on common myths of aging. Then, a group drill demonstrated hearing impairment before employees broke into small groups that rotated through a variety of stations, each with its own challenge. Each station used specialized devices to help employees experience what it feels like to inhabit the body and mind of an older adult who may be experiencing some of the more common conditions of aging.
Joyce Mahoney, Belmont Village’s regional director of memory care and programming, provided on-site instruction and helped team members fully understand and grasp the significance of each of the exercises.
“These exercises for employees are real life restrictions for many of our residents. Not only are our employees walking a mile in our residents’ shoes, they’re also reading a book with their eyes, getting dressed with their hands, and completing everyday tasks with their bodies and minds. [...] They have a new level of understanding and respect for our residents after completing the program. At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about,” Mahoney said.