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Giant computer 'bringing joy' to Essex dementia patients

Down Hall Down Hall resident Stanley playing dominoes on a giant tablet.Down Hall
Care home resident Stanley lives with dementia and enjoys using the giant touchscreen to play dominoes

A supersized tablet computer is helping people living with dementia improve their health, a care home said.

The 40in (102cm) tablet allows those at Down Hall in Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex, to do activities they would struggle with on smaller touchscreen devices.

Activities organiser Louise Simon said: "The positive effect it's generated is brilliant. It's bringing so much joy."

"The touch table stimulates physical and mental activity and helps to boost mood," she said.

"It encourages our residents to engage their brains, experience new sensations, and to interact."

Down Hall Down Hall resident Molly using a giant tablet to do paint by numbers.Down Hall
Resident Molly said she prefers virtual painting on the tablet to real painting as it is less messy

The devices cost between £4,000 and £5,000 and this one was donated to the home by the NHS.

Molly, 87, has dementia and uses it for paint-by-numbers, which Ms Simon said had improved her coordination and focus.

Games include dominoes and word search puzzles but it can also show relaxing scenes such as fish swimming in the ocean, which the home claims can be very calming for residents living with advanced dementia.

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