AN age simulation suit has been used to help care home staff better understand some of the challenges associated with aging and dementia.
Staff at The Malthouse care home in Gillingham, donned a GERT age simulation suit to gain first-hand experience of everyday movements from a resident’s perspective, while navigating the care home environment.
The training session, delivered as part of the Healthcare Homes Academy programme, is intended to strengthen person-centred care by helping staff better understand how age-related changes can affect mobility, confidence and independence.
The GERT suit replicates a range of physical limitations, including reduced strength, joint stiffness, balance difficulties and sensory changes. Once fitted, participants found that simple actions such as walking, turning, sitting and standing required significantly more effort and concentration, with fatigue building quickly during routine movement.
Holding the session within the care home allowed staff to move through familiar spaces such as corridors, doorways and communal areas while experiencing them differently. Even short distances became more demanding, with thresholds and turns requiring greater focus.
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Reflecting on the impact of the experience, key observations included that movement felt noticeably slower and less automatic, everyday tasks required increased concentration, and clear communication became even more important when providing physical support.
The training was led by Healthcare Homes Academy trainer Paul Hamer, who has more than 20 years of experience in health and social care. Throughout the session, he encouraged staff to reflect on how the experience related to real-life care situations and how small adjustments in approach can improve residents’ daily lives.
Staff at The Malthouse care home in Gillingham experienced the challenges associated with aging and dementia using a GERT age simulation suit. Picture: The Malthouse
The exercise reinforced core principles at The Malthouse and across Healthcare Homes, including allowing residents more time to complete tasks, avoiding unnecessary intervention, considering the impact of the environment on mobility, checking understanding before offering support, and recognising effort as well as ability.
A spokesperson for the programme said the GERT suit remains a valuable training tool, helping staff develop empathy and confidence by experiencing aspects of ageing directly. This, they added, supports more consistent, respectful and personalised care.
At The Malthouse, staff said the training has further highlighted the importance of patience and communication in supporting residents with varying levels of mobility and independence.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts across Healthcare Homes to enhance experiential learning and strengthen person-centred dementia care across its services.
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