CARIAD dementia research with Gwalia Mynydd Mawr

Laugh dementia sensory blanket

Residents from Gwalia Mynydd Mawr were joined by Prof Cathy Treadaway and the CARIAD dementia research team for a celebration Tea Party on Sunday 22nd November at the care home in Tumble near Llanelli. The event was held to celebrate the handover of a number of textiles that were developed as part of the Sensor e-Textile design for dementia research at Cardiff Metropolitan University.
The textiles comprise a range of garments and knee rugs each designed for a specific resident based on their personal preferences and life stories. The colourful and tactile textiles have been designed to stimulate the senses, providing in the moment pleasure to comfort, engage and distract people with late stage dementia. A number of the textiles contain added electronics providing additional sensory qualities such as vibration and sound – for example a touch sensitive blanket that plays birdsong and other sounds related to walking in the countryside.

Prof Cathy Treadaway commented: the tea party was a very happy event. It was very satisfying to be able to hand over the textiles we have been making over the last few months to the residents with dementia and their families at Gwalia Mynydd Mawr. We are grateful to everyone involved who has helped make this project such a success.