A NEW piece of technology is helping staff who treat elderly people at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton better understand their needs by experiencing their patients’ conditions for themselves.

The age simulation suit is made up of different parts for the head, face, arms, torso and legs, and mimics the conditions many elderly people suffer from.

It includes goggles which imitate different types of sight loss, a glove which mimics Parkinson’s Disease through shaking, and knee wraps which give a realistic impression of restricted joint mobility.

Clinical staff have been using the suit in training sessions to help them better understand patients’ conditions and appreciate some of the difficulties they face in day-to-day life.

For the full story see this week’s Wellington Weekly News.