Getting in iTouch

Helping residents of care homes get online

What the project hopes to achieve

Working with Bingo and Beyond, the aim is to but meaningful activities back into peoples’ lives, reduce the social exclusion and isolation that can too easily happen to people in residential care, promoting life-long learning, and introducing the world of ICT to this last generation of people who have not yet had such opportunities.  Social networking sites may be used to connect to people in other homes world-wide.  Use of iTunes, YouTube, iPhoto, Google Earth, Wikipedia, and Games all offer potential within this trial.  More older people, who want to, will learn to use the internet.  Access to the full range of possibilities the internet offers is seen as a right.

Students will learn a lot through this community involvement, developing their core occupational therapy skills of ‘enabling’ a person to do what they want to do despite the odds; deepening their understanding of older persons’ needs and being open minded to learn about and marvel at the older person’s experience.  THE core skill in occupational therapy is to match a task to the person’s abilities to achieve success.  The students will be able to choose this work to replace a campus-based course, and they will record the specific outcomes, such as residents’ improved connection with relatives.  The project may lead to students doing research projects in this field, or to full time 8 week placements in the homes. 

From the therapeutic angle, within occupational science (the knowledge that underpins occupational therapy) we will gain increased understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the iPad for getting older people ‘connected’.  This may lead to an application to fund a project within a wider number of homes, or to get iPads for more residents.  If they prove to be effective in this scheme, iPads could become attractive targets suitable for fund-raising schemes.

Who the project will work with

Bingo and Beyond will manage the project, and link with the care homes, supported by university lecturers.  Students will be supported by the special group at the university, Active Student, which encourages student volunteering.

How the project links to the idea of neighbourliness

Students will experience the value of personal contact, giving one’s time for others, and showing kindness, which has been strongly related to reciprocal improvements in health and wellbeing.  Like true good neighbours, each will support the other.  The presence of students in care homes may enhance the ambiance, while students themselves will more fully understand the implications of living in a residential setting. The care of one’s neighbours through helping residents to become more socially connected and even to reduce boredom and apathy is seen as an essential quality of being a good neighbour.  The project brings up-to-the-minute technology to the service of those who might be able to least afford it.   This partnership between the community and the university brings sustainability to the idea of intergenerational care and connection.

Direct communication between the residents and the Bingo and Beyond website could really develop, and ‘neighbourliness’ might take on new meaning, connecting residents to those in other care homes –around the world - via the site.  Thus the neighbours extend to the Global Village.  Via Google Earth residents can see images of each others’ homes, and via Skype can talk directly to each other. The project may promote a more positive view of ageing, with the community taking more responsibility for enabling those living in care homes to keep connected to everyday happenings.

Project Partners

Jane Freund and Rose Fordham (Bingo and Beyond)

Professor Gaynor Sadlo and Dr David Harley (University of Brighton)

Nicola Moss (Shandon House, Eastbourne)

Chris Colville (Manor Hall Nursing Home, Eastbourne)