Gerontological Test Suit and Experiential Learning

We place a great deal of emphasis on our training. Where possible we try to make our training experiential, allowing our trainees to engage with their learning.

Experiential learning is not new. There is evidence that this approach to learning goes back centuries when learning involved direct engagement and hands-on participation. Learning by doing, as it is sometimes called, was something that was once, it seems, understood intrinsically.

Experiential learning also has a fine pedagogic pedigree.  Such academic heavyweights as John Dewey, Jean Piaget, and David Kolb have written extensively about the profound impact of engaging directly with learning.

A fantastic example of experiential learning is offered to you when trainees use our Gerontological Test Suit.

Using a Gerontologic Test suit, or GERT suit, offers an unparalleled and profoundly impactful experience, designed to simulate the physical constraints associated with the aging process. This innovative aging simulation suit replicates the sensations of reduced mobility, diminished flexibility, impaired vision and hearing, and decreased coordination that often accompany older age. By embodying these conditions, individuals, especially those from younger generations, are provided with a vivid, empathetic understanding of the everyday hurdles faced by older people.

For people working in domiciliary care, The GERT suit serves as an invaluable educational tool.  It allows you, to experience first-hand the practical implications of aging, thereby informing more empathetic, inclusive, and effective solutions.

Also the GERT suit experience fosters a deeper sense of empathy and respect towards the elderly, challenging societal stereotypes and promoting a more age-inclusive community ethos. It’s a powerful reminder of the universal journey of aging, encouraging a culture of kindness, understanding, and support for one another as we navigate the inevitable changes that come with time.