Sensory impairments are identified as the most common chronic and disabling conditions of later life, impacting significantly on the quality of life and safety of older adults. Hospitals and care environments can present significant challenges to older adults with sensory impairments. Therefore, it is important to raise awareness on sensory and cognitive impairments with all health professionals, and nurses in particular, both to help develop an empathetic awareness of the impact of impairment and to minimise risk of adverse events. This article reports on a pedagogical innovation on the development and use of a simulation resource-primarily on sensory impairments in older adults-with first-year nursing students in an undergraduate nursing programme in a Scottish university. The article also reports on students' reflections on their experience of participating in this simulation.
Keywords: Education and training; Empathy; Older people; Person-centred care; Reflective practice; Simulation.