Dementia-friendly TV proves big hit in Shropshire
A special television channel for people living with dementia is proving very popular with residents of Shropshire’s leading independent care home provider.
Coverage Care Services has been piloting the My Life TV app in its homes, offering a wide variety of specially-selected programmes to help residents with dementia to reminisce, relax and even to eat better.
Debbie Price, chief executive of Coverage Care, said: “We bought the My Life TV licence to assess how we could use it to support residents with dementia, and it has been a big hit already.
“It is an app which we can use on our smart TVs and interactive activity tables, and has a huge range of content which is relevant to the age range of residents, and which helps both stimulate and soothe their memory and emotional wellbeing.
“Shows include history programmes, quizzes, memory games, armchair yoga, wildlife and much more, and the residents love it.
“We're now looking at using some of the traditional cookery programmes, such as Fanny Cradock and Delia Smith, before mealtimes to encourage good eating habits – food and mealtimes are often difficult for people with dementia, so these programmes help prepare residents by getting them thinking about food.”
Debbie added that ballroom dancing and bird-watching programmes had been particularly popular, prompting some homes to consider setting up bird watching groups in the spring so that residents could observe the wildlife through their own windows.
She said: “Feedback from residents has been really positive so far and we will soon be looking to roll-out the channel to all homes following the successful pilot.
“My Life TV is the latest strand of our ongoing dementia strategy to make sure all of our homes are physically, mentally and emotionally as well equipped as possible to give our residents with dementia the best quality of life we can.”
