Dianne Evans was one of the first patients to enjoy the new mobile sensory projector equipment that are providing support to patients with dementia and cognitive impairment at Flinders Medical Centre and Noarlunga Hospital.

Dianne’s husband Brian said playing games on the projector brought a smile to Dianne’s face.

“Dianne was having so much fun, we basically had to drag her away from the projector at the end!” Brian said.

Funded thanks to your generous support, and the Flinders Medical Centre Volunteer Service, the mobile sensory projector units are programmed with more than 100 games, music and social activities which respond to gestures and movements from users.

Patients can take a quiz, burst balloons with their hands, and experience scenes and sounds from nature while the images are projected onto any surface including floors, walls, ceilings, and tables. This means patients can experience the benefits in a shared area, or from the convenience of their room.

Geriatric Evaluation and Management Acting Allied Health Manager, Catherine Ames, said including patients in regular activities involving movement, communication and mental engagement contributed to an overall better quality of life.

“Using the sensory projector gets patients engaged in a meaningful activity and decreases boredom throughout their hospital journey,” Catherine said.

“It also encourages interaction and socialisation between patients and staff. We can personalise the experience for the patient by uploading a photo of themselves, their home or maybe a place that was special to them growing up.
These can be great conversation starters.”

“I think the projector is such a wonderful idea,” Brian says. “It gets the patients up and doing something fun and physical.”

Thank you for helping to bring this technology to Flinders and Noarlunga so patients with dementia and other cognitive impairments can experience physical and emotional benefits.