30 Jan 2016

Virtual Dementia Tour

From This Way Up, 12:15 pm on 30 January 2016
Virtual Dementia Tour

Virtual Dementia Tour Photo: Supplied

Nearly 50 million people globally have been diagnosed with dementia; 50,000 people here in New Zealand have the disease.

For each and every sufferer, their families, partners and friends are touched by the disease, too, as it is often these people who become primary caregivers. PK Beville has been working with dementia patients for more than 30 years and is trying to transform the way they are cared for and treated with her virtual dementia tour. The tour uses things like gloves, sunglasses and headphones to recreate what living with dementia can be like, and so far it's been experienced by about 2 million people from 17 countries.

PK Beville tells Simon Morton how she designed the tour to allow everyone to experience what life with dementia is like.