Holistic Programme to Help Care Home Residents with Dementia
Five care homes in Wolverhampton are getting a new holistic programme which uses technology to help those suffering with dementia and other diseases.
Social-Ability, a social venture aimed at supporting the lives of people living with cognitive challenges such as dementia, has introduced a “Happiness Programme” to care homes and day services.
The partnership with Wolverhampton Council and Durham County Council will be introduced to five care homes in Wolverhampton, along with ten care homes and day centres in Durham.
This technology facilitates social, sensory, and cognitive activity, encouraging residents to play games with each other, with the aim of improving their wellbeing through keeping them active and social.
Managing director of Social-Ability, John Ramsay, said: “We are thrilled to announce the further distribution of the Happiness Programme across care homes in Wolverhampton. Our initial trials in Wolverhampton were received very well by residents and care workers, and it is fantastic to see the council commit to further investment in an important area.
“We look forward to supporting even more care homes in Wolverhampton, and to making a difference in the lives of residents and their families.”
Care manager Julie Green said: “The impact of the Happiness Programme at these locations has already been amazing.
“At one day centre, an individual took to the word search game straightaway, displaying an ability to read and spell that we did not even know they had. We are all overjoyed at the benefits that this technology will have for the people who use our services.”
Dementia is particularly widespread in UK care homes, and the condition is expected to grow in the coming years, more than 920,000 people in the UK are living with dementia – a number expected to rise to over a million by 2024 (Alzheimer’s Society, 2019).
The vast majority of people with dementia are aged 65 and over, accounting for over 880,000 people. However, an estimated 40,000 people under 65 are living with dementia in the UK.
John Ramsay, Managing Director of Social-Ability, said,: ‘We welcome the investments from Wolverhampton and Durham councils to bring the Happiness Programme to local care homes and day centres. It is fantastic to be delivering positive, feel-good change all across the country and hear from care staff and residents about the substantial difference the technology has made. We look forward to continuing our relationships with these councils and hope to further expand the programme across the country.’
