The Tennessee Department of Health announced that Second Wind Dreams® (SWD®) has been approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to use Civil Money Penalty (CMP) funding in 100 Tennessee skilled nursing homes. The two-year project will assist nursing home staff to improve care for dementia residents by providing hands-on, experiential training using the patented Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT®). The VDT has been scientifically proven to build a greater understanding of dementia using sensory tools and instructions. A Second Wind Dreams Certified VDT Trainer will conduct the training at participating nursing homes and supervise the implementation of the VDT and related assessments that measure person-centered care outcomes.

P.K. Beville, the founder of Second Wind Dreams and creator of the Virtual Dementia Tour, is a psychologist specializing in geriatric care and a leading expert in dementia and aging issues. She believes that until we can experience what it might be like to have dementia, we are unable to provide person-centered care.

The Virtual Dementia Tour enables caregivers to experience the physical and mental challenges those living with dementia face. This helps to provide practical ways to create an environment that supports the disease and increases understanding. More than three million people in 20 countries have experienced the VDT.