One touch at a time
Harvard professor and famed editor of the Harvard Business Review, Theodore Levitt, once said, “Creativity is thinking up new things; Innovation is DOING new things.” The recreational therapy team at PPh has been doing something very creative and innovative in an effort to help residents with various diagnoses. Apple iPads aren’t just for email and long car rides any more. They are therapeutic tools. Director of Recreational Therapy, Jennifer A. Honeyford, let us sit in on an amazing therapy session and also provided some great insight into the purpose of the devices.
“We purchased iPads two years ago to be used as an individual intervention with our residents who have diagnoses such as: depression, anxiety, dementia, insomnia, or other behavior issues such as wondering, and agitation”, Mrs. Honeyford said. “We have found that our residents are very open to using the iPads and interested in the technology. The apps we have picked range from sensory such as babies laughing to more complex word games. We also downloaded music to be use one-on-one with residents and in large group settings such as our devotional services. Our babies laughing app is the most popular, and we have seen first hand how it has changed a resident’s affect from crying to smiling.”
PPh’s goal is to have individual playlists for our residents that will promote relaxation and encourage purposeful reminiscing. We plan to continue to use the iPads as individual treatment with residents and build stronger therapeutic relationships with them.
In a world where technology has become part of our every day life, it is both refreshing and exciting to see the great uses that such strong and impressive devices are providing. Congratulations to Jennifer and the rest of the recreational therapy team for adding one more feather of innovation to PPh’s cap.
Jennifer Honeyford explains uses and benefits of iPad therapy