Technology is providing long-term care residents with more opportunities to socialize and participate in activities.
Ileana Antonescu loves music. The Queen’s Park Care Centre resident can even create her own guitar solo simply by moving her head and tapping her fingers. Soundbeam 6—the technology that turns Ileana’s physical movements into sounds and music—“is a dream,” she says. With it, Ileana is once again moving to the beat of her own drum.
While some residents enjoy creating music with the Soundbeam 6, others prefer activities like tabletop soccer, language lessons and more with the Tovertafel—both technologies funded by the Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation.
“I played soccer when I was younger,” says Silvia Morales, Queen’s Park Care Centre resident. “It makes me happy.”
The Tovertafel games console—which allows Silvia and other residents to play soccer from their wheelchairs—comes pre-loaded with puzzles, games, sports and pictures of objects that can be matched and moved. Residents can garden, polish silver and put together puzzles of family members and pets—all from the comfort of their care community.
“At Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation, we are proud to support Queen’s Park Care Centre—not just with funding, but with purpose,” says Jeff Norris, president, Royal Columbian Hospital Foundation. “Every investment in technology and innovation here is an investment in dignity, comfort and the moments that matter most in people’s lives.”
Revi Ross, recreation therapist and clinical supervisor, Queen’s Park Care Centre, says it’s wonderful to see technology bring residents together with commonalities, where they laugh and reminisce about their lives.
“For example, if they’re looking at a car, they might say, ‘I’ve driven in a car like that, or 'I recognize that car.’ Technology specifically designed for long-term care comes pre-programmed and designed for success, so residents feel good about their skills and abilities because they always have a positive outcome.”
Along with the pride and sense of accomplishment that comes with being a starter in a tabletop soccer match or rocking to tunes you created, technology designed specifically for health care benefits residents socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively, providing great sensory stimulation.
Several long-term care communities in the Fraser Health region have newer technology to keep residents engaged. For example, Czorny Alzheimer Centre, Bradley Centre and long-term care at Langley Memorial Hospital also have Tovertafel systems. Mountain View Manor has a simulated driving system known as Abby. Fraser Health is grateful to our various hospital foundations for funding these new technologies to improve the lives of long-term care residents in the region.
