Thanks to an aging and dementia simulation, hosted in June by the Alzheimer Society of Niagara Region and the Niagara Health System (NHS), nursing student Jessica Foisey and other Ontarians experienced the world in much the same way an older adult with dementia and other health conditions might. Wearing gloves filled with cotton balls (in the tips to decrease sensation), and arm or leg weights to mimic weakness (similar to weakness following a stroke), Foisey struggled to replace batteries in a flashlight and remove clothing. “It was a lot harder than I expected it to be,” she says. “When I tried to use my hands to feel things, I had to pick them up and bring them really close to my face (she was also wearing goggles) because I couldn’t recognize it by touch.” Christina Huntington, an NHS nurse practitioner who specializes in geriatric mental health, says the event shows people the challenges that emerge as we age, including hearing impairment, arthritis (both osteo and rheumatoid), mobility issues, and visual disturbances. “As they’re brought through the simulation, it shines the light on what life is like for an older adult.” According to NHS, Niagara has more seniors than the rest of Canada. (The Niagara Falls Review, June 22)