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Residents find brave new world thanks to grant from the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust

9 May 2008

RESIDENTS FIND BRAVE NEW WORLD THANKS TO GRANT FROM THE SIR JULES THORN CHARITABLE TRUST

IT equipment and software is opening up new channels of communication for residents at Sue Ryder Care – Dee View Court, Aberdeen thanks to a grant from The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust.

Residents, alongside staff at the care centre, have been enjoying getting to grips with the consignment of cutting edge equipment - with some remarkable results.

Many of the residents, living with complex neurological conditions including Huntington’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Brain Injury, can find it difficult to express themselves verbally. Now, residents - who may have lived alongside each other for several years but been unable to completely understand each other - are able to communicate fully through the especially selected equipment.

Amongst other equipment, a computer and laptop, a set of keyboards, as well as plasma and touch screens and a digital movie camera, were installed at the Aberdeen-based care centre, as part of the £250,000 grant from The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, which has been shared by several of the charity’s care centres across the UK. Features, such as head pointing devices, a height adjustable desk, touch screens and special keyboards, are already making it easier for some residents to communicate and to take part in activities which they were previously unable to.

Keith Jamieson, 38, who lives at Sue Ryder Care – Dee View Court uses the computer equipment for a wide range of activities.  Since Keith was diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease his daily life has become increasingly difficult and he now uses a wheelchair to get around, he needs staff at the centre to help with activities such as eating and drinking, things that other people take for granted.   

Keith said: “I sometimes have difficulty with communication and need to spell things out so that I can get people to understand what I’m saying.  This equipment now means that I can communicate with people much easier, as well giving me the chance to use the touch plasma screen to play interactive games, there is a device which allows me to use an online dice so I can play board games.  I love being able to challenge the other residents at games.”
 
Keith continued: “The new equipment is just amazing. Especially being able to use the internet – it means that I can keep up to date with the football results which is brilliant because I’m a fully signed up Aberdeen FC fan and I can keep an eye on how they are doing in the league.  It also allows me to make some great music – I’ve been doing workshops that show me how to use the software to create the best sounds.  I can use the smartnav sensor controlled mouse – the sensor is placed in a baseball cap which means that I can use my head to control it – it’s great.”

Keith concluded: Overall this equipment has made life much more fun, and the outside world is much more accessible to me now.”

Other residents who use the equipment also get a huge benefit from it.  Some use the voice recognition software or specialised keyboards to surf the internet, play games, send and receive emails from family and friends, and do personal typing, others use the equipment to create artwork on the touch screen.  There are facilities which allow the residents to use the creative software like video recording and digital photography, and they also have access to a portable PC which they can use in their houses as the centre has wireless access, this gives them some privacy whenever they need it.

Pamela Mackenzie, Care Centre Manager, added: “Residents and staff alike are delighted with the new equipment. As well as the hardware, people can now also set up secure internal websites, where they can post information about themselves and use discussion forums. It is a fabulous example of new technology making a genuine difference to people’s lives. I would like to thank The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust for this grant. It could not be more appreciated.”  

As well as the equipment and software, the grant also covered special training for staff to enable residents to get the most from them.

David Richings, Director of The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust, said: “The Trust is delighted that its grant has enabled Sue Ryder Care to implement a project which is having such a positive impact on people’s lives, delivering just the outcome we believed would be possible when the funding was awarded.”

For about the Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust: 

The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust invited Sue Ryder Care to apply for grant funding under the aegis of its annual Special Project programme. The trustees were looking for a project that would ‘enhance the life experience of people between 18 and 65 who are dependent on long term residential care due to complex physical and mental disabilities.’

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