Support for dementia awareness

Staff and passengers at Glasgow Airport have been given the chance understand what it’s like to live with dementia.

They took part in a Virtual Dementia Tour in a mobile unit based outside the main terminal of the Paisley hub.

The interactive sessions were designed to give an understanding of the physical, cognitive and sensory changes a person living with dementia may experience.

Staff were asked to complete a range of daily living tasks while having their physical and sensory abilities altered.

They behaved in a similar way to those living with dementia and were able to understand some of the difficulties they face when they are not provided with appropriate support.

Among the things they learned were how the environment can help and hinder a person living with dementia, describe ways to make the environment conducive and promote dignity and respect for people with dementia, and identify ways to improve communication and challenge stereotypes and labelling of people living with dementia.

The visit of the Virtual Dementia Tour came a year after Glasgow became the first airport in the UK to host the Autism Reality Experience.

Glasgow Airport’s terminal compliance manager Paul Scott said: “These drop-in sessions really excel in providing passengers and the wider airport staff with a much better understanding of the difficulties people with hidden disabilities face.

“It’s important our staff are aware of this and that’s where the Virtual Dementia Tour really works well – it gives them an understanding of the challenges a person living with this dreadful condition has to overcome on a daily basis.”