Ipswich Care Home Residents Get ‘Interactive’

Residents at Handford House nursing home in Ipswich are enjoying some interactive digital fun thanks to the fundraising efforts of a resident’s relative.

Debi Lewis, the daughter of 79-year-old resident Betty, saw an interactive ‘magic’ light table designed to help people with dementia and set out to raise the money needed to buy one for the home.

She held a range of events to encourage donations, including a quiz, a disco, a sponsored walk and a coffee morning.  Very quickly she raised over £5,000 to buy the equipment, which is now installed in the home and providing fun and entertainment to residents.

The table uses a light display projected down from above and enables residents to touch lights and patterns as part of interactive games and sensory activity.  Many residents at the home live with dementia and this kind of activity has been shown to help stimulate both physical and cognitive activity.  The table can be moved to the different areas of the home so that lots of people have the chance to enjoy it.

The home’s activities coordinator, Kelly Mclaughlin now uses the magic table every day as part of the regular programme of activities and entertainment specially designed to support residents.

Home Manager Mike Parris said, “We are so incredibly grateful to Debi for her impressive fundraising efforts to bring the magic table into Handford House.

“It’s a fantastic piece of equipment, and offers something totally different to anything we have used before.  The lights, patterns and games provide all of our residents with access to a fantastic new sensory experience, however we really see it making a difference for those residents living with dementia or learning difficulties.

“On behalf of everyone at the home I would like to say a huge thank you to Debi for her tremendous support and to everyone who donated to Debi’s many fundraising activities.”