A NEW supersized tablet is helping residents at a care home in Bradwell-on-Sea.
The touch table donated by the Essex Clinical Commissioning Group aims to help residents at the care home to stimulate their brains and maintain focus.
Residents at Down Hall, a 36-bed residential care home located on Downhall Road, have fully embraced the new technology.
The large touch screen is built into a table, giving the residents access to sensory and learning apps.
Residents have been enjoying games including dominoes, scrabble, and word search puzzles.
Activities organiser, Louise Simon, strives to find innovative ways to support the home’s residents.
She believes the new technology is helping them to maintain some independence.
Louise said: “The positive effect it’s generated is brilliant, it’s bringing them so much joy, especially those living with dementia.
“The touch table stimulates physical and mental activity and helps to boost mood. It encourages our residents to engage their brains, experience new sensations, and to interact.
“It’s very accessible so everyone can get involved, no matter their ability.
"Unlike a smartphone or tablet, the huge screen means our residents can see the games more easily.
"The table is portable, and we can change its position to be raised over a bed or wheelchair.”
Louise uses the therapy tool for group activities so all the residents can join in the fun.
She also uses it for one-to-one time with residents, helping them to explore the apps, or communicate with loved ones via Zoom.
One of the residents, Stanley, 91, has dementia and he enjoys playing dominoes with Louise.
“Stanley is not a talkative man, but sitting together taking part in a fun activity, I’ve found that he will engage in conversation."
Another resident who also has dementia, Molly, 87, uses the tablets for a paint by numbers app.
"She gets a real sense of pride and achievement from completing one of the paintings."
Maureen, 80, has Parkinson’s disease and says the puzzles help to keep her brain active and give her something to focus on, which results in less spasms.
Louise added: “Even when we’re not using the table as part of an activity, we use the sensory apps to fill the screen with fishes swimming in the ocean.
"It can be very calming, especially for residents living with advanced dementia.”
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