RENFREW COUNTY (Pembroke) – When you think about the quality of your life, it often equates to the little things like the feeling that you get when you go for a drive to see the autumn leaves, and to listen to your favourite radio station. It could be the comfort you feel when you hear the purr of cat while you are petting it.
Replicating the same experiences that result in a high quality of life is exactly what ABBY offers those who live with dementia. Ambient Activity Technologies Inc. developed a tool called ABBY to provide people living with dementia an opportunity to engage in a meaningful activity independently. It is an interactive machine that is mounted to the wall to provide easy access as residents approach it, at any time, and each control offers a different interactive connection. It can be used either independently, with family, and with staff to create meaningful connections each time.
A generous benefactor, who wishes to remain anonymous, gifted the ABBY technology platform to the residents of The Dr. Eng and Dr. Pan Dementia Care Home Area, who enjoy using the program on a daily basis. A fascinating component of the system is the ability to have a general community profile or to have a personal profile.
The community profile mode is available for everyone to use, and is a selection of media connected to the Pembroke area which shows pictures, videos, and local radio stations. The personal profile mode is a profile created with the help of family and staff to cater to a specific resident.
It is activated as soon as the resident approaches the machine by a small ID beacon the resident carries. It will switch the display and play media familiar to the resident, which can trigger a memory or increase a sense of familiarity and awareness. This includes pictures, homemade videos, music preference, games, voice and language.
Research shows that ABBY can improve the quality of life by offering opportunity to reduce agitation, boredom, paranoia, anxiety, responsive behavioural disturbances and anti-psychotic medications. It was created by utilizing the Montessori Method in development and focuses on using a person-centered care approach. It is programmed to work with the resident based on their current abilities with the appropriate cueing and adaptable activities.
ABBY technology was developed and devoted to those living with dementia to increase their quality of life, and Miramichi Lodge is beyond grateful to our anonymous donor for this donation.
