For many of us, the thought of not being able to remember key moments in our lives is a frightening prospect. But for people living with dementia, this is their reality.
Anne Davies, an Area Care Manager for Wheatley Homes South, saw the debilitating effects of dementia first hand. She saw people receiving care lose their identities, their sense of self, and the life they once had. She knew that this not only had a devastating effect on the person living with dementia, but on their loved ones too.
Anne was committed to finding a way to help people living with dementia reclaim the lives they once had. She knew that there were already many memory aids out there, but she had an innovative idea: what if she could find a way to bring VR technology to patients, allowing them to re-live their fondest memories in a safe, controlled environment?
Knowing that her idea had the potential to change people’s lives for the better, Anne applied to take part in the Dumfries and Galloway HSCP Intrapreneurship Programme and was shortlisted for participation. After attending a series of workshops designed to help further develop her idea and articulate its value, Anne pitched for investment. On the day, the Investment Team granted Anne £4.5k to help bring her idea to life.
“We think your idea has real potential to help people live well, at home, for longer.” – DGHSCP Investment Team
Since securing investment, Anne has received overwhelming support from her Senior Managers and Community Engagement Team. She has been busy researching the benefits of VR in reducing dementia symptoms and is looking forward to seeing how her service improves the lives of those she serves.
Anne has bold ambitions for the future and is frequently in contact with a local team from Alzheimer Scotland to help scale her impact. She also plans to attend a VR Choir hosted by Care Reality and Alzheimer Scotland, so that she can explore how her idea might work in different settings in the future.
“The Lens workshops really helped me think about my idea in more depth. You think you have everything you need, but the workshops helped me to consider the things I hadn’t thought about, strengthening my idea in the process.” – Anne Davies, Area Care Manager at Wheatley Homes South
