Today more than 900,000 people in the country are thought to be living with dementia and this is expected to reach one million in the next seven years.

According to researchers, one in two of us will be affected by the condition but what is it like to live with it? To mark Dementia Action Week we visited Home Instead Dartford to try its virtual reality (VR) technology which offers this unique experience.

The care service’s boss Ram Thapa explained they use the VR experience to allow people to see and feel how someone living with dementia does.

The idea is a carer or family member can use the understanding they gain to support those with the symptoms.

It involves completing three everyday tasks – shopping, walking home, and then making a cup of tea with the items you bought – to show how different they are to do when you have dementia.

Once the VR headset is on, it immediately blocks out your peripheral vision, which Ram explained is supposed to replicate how those who are affected see as they have what is known as tunnel vision.

The videos had not even started yet but I already felt disorientated due to the restricted sight.

In the first task, I had to walk around a supermarket and pick up items on a shopping list, which sounded easy enough except that the screen kept going in and out of focus meaning I could not read what was on the list.

During the video, what was supposed to be my inner monologue spoke and repeated the items getting more and more confused.

Once you have reached the till there are items in the basket which you did not pick up which Ram explained is intended to mimic the feeling of memory loss as they cannot remember doing something.

The other two videos are similar and highlight symptoms such as becoming easily confused and having a different perspective of reality.

Ram adds: “People have always told me they feel horrible after the videos as they find it very upsetting but can understand what it is like to be in their shoes.”

I found throughout I was getting frustrated with the tasks as I did not feel in control of what was happening, which Ram explained to me is likely to be how someone with dementia feels every day.

It really opened my eyes to what people go through when battling with this terrible illness and I left feeling quite sad this is what my loved ones have experienced.

However, I also felt I had a unique understanding that I did not think I would be able to have - which is why Ram and the team at Home Instead Dartford use this technology.

Ram, who owns the franchise of the care firm with wife Christina Uppenkamp, said he is keen to boost other’s understanding of the condition as many do not realise the complexities of it.

He explained: “Dementia is a lot more than just losing your memories. People may start changing how they speak, they may start losing concentration, not being able to use a knife and fork, or not being able to judge distance.

“Every aspect of our lives might change, our personalities could change completely and we may start to think very differently. It is a lot more than just losing your memory.

“I think the stigma dementia has and the fear of what it is is stopping people from getting diagnosed. But once you know what it is and the symptoms, you can get the support you need.”

It is thought around 900,000 people are living with dementia in the UK, but although the number is expected to rise, Ram said it could be because people are living longer, increasing their chance of developing it.

“There is no better time to spread awareness and know what it is like to live with dementia,” the dementia specialist added. “It could be one of us who will get dementia in the future.

“We will either experience ourselves, or it will affect our loved ones or someone close to us.

“It is a good time to know and talk about dementia, especially about how we can support people and how to prepare ourselves.”

Dementia is a set of symptoms, not a disease. It is caused by a range of diseases affecting the brain, including Alzheimer’s which is the most common cause of dementia.

It is estimated one in 14 people over the age of 65 and one in six over the age of 80 have Alzheimer’s.

Typically, those affected will start to experience memory loss and have difficulty with communication but as it progresses will struggle with performing everyday tasks, decisions and problem-solving.

Often people’s moods, personalities and behaviour start to change too.

As well as a VR experience, Home Instead Dartford has partnered up with Essex-based training provider Training 2 Care to offer another chance to step into the shoes of someone living with dementia, known as the Dementia Bus.

Supported by medical research, the bus uses technology to replicate the sensory changes associated with dementia such as shuffling due to uneven floors, impaired vision and heightened noises.

Co-owner of the healthcare firm, based in St Fidelis' Road, Erith, Christina, said: “I firmly believe that the Virtual Dementia Tour offers a unique experience crucial to understanding dementia from a first-person perspective.

“This immersive experience helps bridge the gap between those living with the condition and their loved ones, giving them a deeper understanding of the challenges they face.”

Home Instead Dartford offer personal care, such as help with dressing and bathing, specialist dementia care, companionship care and home help to older people in their own houses.

The firm offers support throughout Dartford, west Gravesend and Bexley.

Dementia Action Week (May 13 - 19) brings the UK together to take action on improving dementia diagnosis rates.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, one in three people in the UK living with dementia do not have a diagnosis

More than nine in ten people affected by the disease say there are benefits to getting a diagnosis.