Technology has proven to not only break down barriers, but to re-establish connections in our world. Earlier I showcased a program called Alive Inside, a doc film about one man’s quest to provide music to individuals with dementia, through individual music players.
I recently acquired an iPad, and one the great functions is that it has allowed me to download movies/musicals that would intrigue Mom, and we watch them together on the iPad. This works in particular, in care centers, where large TVS are usually in activity rooms, and smaller TVs are in family style rooms where the volume cannot always be turned up. The technology also allows us to be in each other’s presence, without me expecting certain behaviors from Mom, with her not feeling the pressure to perform to my expectations.
We have watched My Fair Lady, and mimicked Eliza Doolittle’s “Rain in Spain falls mainly in on the plain” together. We have watched Julie Andrews climb to the top of the mountain, singing about the hills.
Other uses for the Ipad has consisted of loading various digital “photo albums”, and presenting Mom with a slide show to update her on activities of children and grandchildren. She may not always recognize a name and a face, but maybe a house, or smile, or a certain set of eyes.
As I am always on the lookout for other, I have been testing out a few apps that Mom has found intriguing. One is Line Art, which allows her to draw, watch lines light up, without the hassle of locating her to the activity room and getting out the paints. I
