Family Caregiver Emotions In Dementia Simulation Education

We researched caregiver emotions during the simulation experience at the Dementia Simulation House. Our research question was: How do the emotions of family caregivers differ from the emotions of non-caregivers during the simulation? We predicted that caregivers will experience emotions more strongly than other participants. Family caregivers may have a deep emotional bond with their loved ones who have dementia. This personal connection may amplify their emotional responses during simulations, as they may vividly recall their own caregiving experiences. There is a dearth of research on dementia simulation education for family caregivers (Hirt & Beer, 2020). A majority of research is focused on formal caregivers and students rather than informal caregivers (Chiu, 2013; Çetingök et al., 2023).