Imagine being in a dark room with flashing lights while wearing sunglasses and earphones — no, it is not a description of a silent rave in Unalaska; it is a virtual dementia tour, which allows participants to experience what it might feel like to have Alzheimer's or dementia.
This type of mental condition is on the rise in the Aleutians, according to the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association (APIA). The regional Native organization is working to raise awareness about it across the island chain.
Due to high interest in Unalaska, APIA has hosted the virtual dementia tour twice on the island this year. Community Health Services Director Ashley Withrow helps lead the tour.
"The idea is sort of putting an individual in the shoes of somebody who may be experiencing Alzheimer's or dementia," she said. "The virtual dementia tours are all about what people feel when they go through, and then there's a good portion of education at the end."
Dementia is a general term used when someone's everyday activities are impaired by the inability to remember, think or make decisions. And Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia.
According to Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska, 12,500 people in the state are currently living with the disease and related dementias, and the Aleutian Islands are no exception. Withrow said the region has high rates of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and it's developing at an earlier age.
"There's no cure,” said Withrow. “So bringing a lot of awareness is really dire at this point, just so people understand."
Withrow said education is the first step in dismantling taboos about Alzheimer's disease and related dementias because it helps dispel misunderstandings that many in the region might have about it.
"You can't really understand unless you experience it," she said. "But after going through the virtual dementia tour, it's like a light bulb goes off. You really understand why your loved one is reacting the way they are or having that behavior."
There are no facilities in the Aleutian Islands that provide a higher level of care for people experiencing Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Withrow said that can make the whole experience more stressful because many people may have to move to Anchorage for the care they need.
"And that brings a whole slew of other things with it," she said. "Being in an unfamiliar city, unfamiliar foods at times, language barriers, away from family, away from the community they know."
Withrow said APIA plans to continue facilitating the dementia tour in communities across the Aleutian Islands and hopes to provide more resources in the future.
