Spreading happiness with Sheffcare’s new interactive project
Sheffield care home charity Sheffcare is bringing a little extra happiness to residents’ lives after taking part in a major new national project.
The Happiness Programme - provided in partnership with leading health care technology service provider Social-Ability - uses interactive games to connect residents with staff and with each other.
Research has shown that the system improves the wellbeing of people living with dementia and other cognitive challenges.
Using interactive light projections, the Happiness Programme - which can be played independently or in a group - stimulates movement by inviting participants to take part in all sorts of different activities such as popping bubbles, playing the piano, colouring pictures, sweeping leaves or interacting playfully with fish.
Games are rich in colour, movement and detail and allow people of all ages to play in a safe and comfortable environment.
The Happiness Programme is portable so it can be used wherever those using it feel most comfortable.
It can be projected onto the floor, ceiling, walls, a whiteboard or even the bed and allows for a range of games that change seasonally covering 14 different categories.
“The Happiness Programme came to us from a piece of research work that is being done by Sheffield City Council which we have been lucky enough to take part in,” said Sheffcare Dementia and Wellbeing Manager Kathryn Rawling.
“Because it can be used in so many ways, it means we can give stimulation to residents who have become bed bound or who are further down their dementia journey as well as increasing movement and physical activities to residents who are more mobile.
“The benefits of the Happiness Programme have been shown to improve mood and behaviours, greater physical, social and cognitive activity, with a reduction in withdrawn-like symptoms.
“It has been seen to stimulate weight gain, lead to a reduced need for anti-psychotic medications and created a positive impacts on relationships with care staff, friends and family.”