Technology lifts spirits of residents living with dementia
Redmoor Health has been providing digital training sessions at Mariners Court Care Home, enabling residents living with dementia to receive high quality care. The sessions incorporate technology including the Amazon Alexa, a blood pressure smartwatch and a Samsung tablet.
After being introduced through the digital support programme, the Alexa is now integrated into everyday life at the home. Activity coordinators use Alexa to plan fun games and quizzes.
Residents can ask the device what day it is, what the weather’s like and even what happened on the day they were born. As soon as a thought comes into their head Alexa can respond, meaning the residents don’t have to wait for a staff member to be free and risk losing their train of thought.
The Alexa is also helping to bring back happy memories for the residents as they ask for songs from their past. Staff have seen a noticeable lift in their spirits as they sing and dance along to the music. One resident explained that a song reminded him of his childhood at Christmas time, while another resident was reminded of a memory with her late husband and became very moved.
Residents have also been wearing smartwatches that record personal health observations. Taking blood pressure and heart rate is often distressing for those living with dementia, which can cause them to lash out at staff, making the task impossible to carry out. Thanks to the new technology and support in using it, staff can take the readings easily and safely.
In one of the focused digital training sessions, staff were shown how to use the NHS approved ORCHA system. ORCHA rates the best apps for different health conditions. The staff discovered a brain recovery app which was suitable for one of their residents who recently suffered from a stroke. The resident uses the app to match pictures to words and staff have noticed the positive impact it has. One staff member said: “When she gets questions right it makes her smile and she’s more upbeat.”
Inspired by how useful it has been in the past, staff are keen to use the Samsung tablet and other technology to learn more ways to manage the long-term health conditions of their residents. Thanks to the digital support, staff can see a huge lift in the mood and wellbeing of residents. Residents have gained independence as well, through learning how to use the technology themselves.
