Anthem Employees Gain Perspective through Immersion

Every day in Central Indiana, families and individuals are challenged with providing for their household while living in poverty. But it can be difficult to really understand what it feels like to live in poverty. On Wednesday, March 8th, Anthem employees participated in a simulation designed to uncover the stresses of neighbors who struggle to meet the basic needs for themselves and their families. 

The highly interactive simulation allowed 60 Anthem employees from the Medicaid division to experience the lives of low-income families – from single parents caring for children to senior citizens trying to maintain their independence.  Groups worked together to survive a simulated month as a low-income family.

The experience gave them the opportunity to reflect and consider the struggles first hand, and for some, it was a reminder of their own upbringing. After the poverty simulation, one Anthem employee commented, “I lived almost all of these scenarios in my childhood, and I hated it. This simulation reminded me and helped me to be more sensitive to others’ surroundings. It was a blessing to me today.”

Check out the photos from the Anthem Poverty Simulation below.