Express & Star

Residents enjoying new lease of life through technology

Residents of care homes have been given hi-tech tools to help them keep in contact with their families.

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Mary Tomkins, 87, with staff members Napaporn Gregory, Emma Peniket and Penelope Midgley

Residents at Portway House and Newbury Manor in Oldbury have been getting up to speed with different types of technology during lockdown.

Staff at the homes have spent time with residents teaching them how to use iPads, tablets and laptops to help them learn how communication tools such as Facetime, Skype and Zoom work.

The platforms have been providing a vital communications lifeline offering voice and video contact to friends and family members.

It has also helped residents suffering from dementia and other conditions as the use of technology has enabled them to focus on something as part of a daily routine and create mental stimulation.

Mary Tomkins, 87, with staff members Napaporn Gregory, Emma Peniket and Penelope Midgley

They have also been getting to grips with games consoles in the home, which have offered an opportunity for socialising and exercise, as participants have been required to get up and move about.

Diane Williams, manager at both Portway House and Newbury Manor, said she was highly aware of the benefits of investing in technology.

She said: “Our staff always provide high quality care.”

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