project activities
Everything DIVE does starts with a simple question: what would it take for someone to truly understand what it feels like to live with dementia as well as what skills would be needed to better communicate with, respond to their needs, and to create safe spaces for people affected by dementia.
Our activities are designed to answer that question: through research, creative co-design, immersive technology, and rigorous evaluation across five European countries and three years of collaborative work.
01.
Needs Assessment & Co-Creation
Through stakeholder interviews, focus groups, and structured co-creation workshops, we identify the real challenges that people affected by dementia encounter in their daily lives. Around 95 participants will be involved across Romania, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria and Spain, including: medical professionals, nursing home staff, family caregivers, healthcare students and community volunteers.`
02.
the VR Training Modules
Empathy Module: a scenario that allows participants to experience dementia from the inside. Using a VR headset, they navigate everyday situations (a busy shop, a medical appointment, a public transport journey) as someone living with dementia. Training Module: a scenario that allows participants to practise interacting with a person living with dementia in realistic scenarios. They explore different approaches, make decisions, and learn what works in a safe, consequence-free environment.
03.
Pilot Implementation
Twenty structured one-hour training sessions will take place across all five partner countries, each involving five participants. Every session follows the same structure: an expert-led introduction covering dementia fundamentals and communication strategies; the immersive VR experiences; and a facilitated debrief to reinforce learning and connect it to participants’ real-world context.
04.
Measuring Impact & Sharing What We Learn
We use validated assessment tools to measure changes in dementia knowledge, attitudes, empathy, and practical communication skills, before and after training. We will also produce a detailed Sustainability Plan and practical guidelines for how partner organisations and others can integrate DIVE VR training into their routine practice after the project ends.