Internationally recognised dementia friendly design principles and practices are showcased at a ground-breaking, dementia learning facility in Parkville that was opened on 23 October 2013 by Ita Buttrose AO, OBE, Alzheimer's Australia National President and 2013 Australian of the Year.

The first of its kind in Australia, the new facility showcases dementia friendly design features with the intention of educating and calling for all workplaces, homes and public spaces to commit to becoming dementia friendly.

Maree McCabe, Alzheimer's Australia Vic's CEO said through this undertaking, Alzheimer's Australia Vic is taking the lead in tackling dementia and ensuring people living with dementia receive the best care and support possible to enable and empower them to have the quality of life they deserve.

"With the prevalence of dementia in Victoria projected to increase to 141,000 by 2030, we are responding to the need we have for new and more sophisticated approaches to learning.

"We are committed to creating the better-skilled, quality aged and healthcare workforce we need for the future.

"Being dementia friendly is about developing ways to promote social inclusion as well as awareness about dementia. It is about the ways in which society as a whole, not just the aged and health care sectors, embraces people with dementia to ensure their needs are addressed in both the physical and social environment," Ms McCabe said.

A major feature of the project is the Perc Walkley Dementia Learning Centre's Virtual Dementia Experience that creates a multi-sensory simulation using light, sound, colour and visual content while incorporating 'serious games' technology to create a virtual reality experience - Aged and healthcare workers will be taken in to the world of dementia.

The Centre includes doughnut shaped mood lighting, a massive ten metre by two metre wall that can have a seamless image projected across its width and breadth, an interactive touch screen and gesture- sensor technology.

"The intention is to lead our course participants into thinking differently in their approach to caring.

"After 30 years of caring for people with dementia, their carers and families, this facility empowers our organisation to deliver on our purpose and showcase our important dementia friendly design messages throughout Victoria and indeed the world," Ms McCabe said.

Features such as carpets, wall colour, signage and clear fronted cupboards can greatly impact on a person living with dementia and their ability to successfully negotiate their environment.

The use of the same colour paint on walls, door frames and doors, for example, can make it difficult for some people living with dementia to identify and find their way into a room. The move to Parkville also opens the doors to the development of stronger relationships and collaboration with research neighbours, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne Brain Centre, National Ageing Research Institute and the University of Melbourne. Alzheimer's

Australia Vic will retain its Hawthorn offices at 98-104 Riversdale Rd from which we continue to provide our Victoria-wide Family Services. The 155 Oak St, Parkville site will be dedicated to Learning Services.

This initiative was funded by the Lorenzo and Pamela Galli Charitable Trust, jointly funded by the Commonwealth and State governments through funding from the Home and Community Care Program, and other private donors. Alzheimer's Australia Vic would like to acknowledge their generosity.

For more information about the Virtual Dementia Experience