Age simulation suits help charity staff 'understand'

The suit is designed to help healthcare professionals empathise with patients

New starters at a Derbyshire charity have been trained to understand mobility issues in the elderly by wearing a specialist suit.

Staff at Age UK Derby and Derbyshire have been using The GERontologic Test suit (GERT) to prepare to deliver their community falls prevention classes.

Each part of the simulation suit is designed to make the wearer feel the physical effects associated with getting older such as stiffer joints, decreased mobility and reduced grip.

Katy Pugh, chief executive of the charity, said: "It gives us more understanding of some of the issues the people taking our classes might be dealing with."

The suit is used in healthcare and educational settings across the world

The suit consists of overshoes that dull sensation in the feet, weights to mimic knee, wrist and elbow stiffness and a neck brace that restricts head movement.

It also includes goggles to simulate different sight problems like tunnel vision, macular degeneration and cataracts, along with noise cancelling headphones to simulate hearing difficulties.

The suit is used around the world in various educational and healthcare settings, and was purchased by Age UK Derby and Derbyshire in 2020.

'It helps us empathise'

The charity now uses it as part of the induction process for all new falls staff and instructors.

The Live Stronger for Longer programme supports older people at risk of falls to improve their strength and balance and has just been recommissioned by Derbyshire County Council for another five years.

Tim Taylor, one of the new postural stability instructors who tried the suit, said: "It feels strange but it really helps us to empathise with the people we are going to be dealing with.

"It means that we genuinely understand what they are going through a little bit more rather than just telling them things for the sake of telling them."