We were delighted to welcome Dr Gail Kenning from the University of Technology, Sydney Australia to our monthly cwtch meeting. Gail led a lively discussion on evaluation, particularly from her position as a practicing artist working in applied research. The idea that the terminology and range of methodologies for including participants as partners in research needs to change resonated with most of us, who still feel that the dominant perspective is to view participants as subjects. The possibility that the arts could provide a “third space” provoked suggestions from CARIAD members from all disciplines, and led to discussions how we might encourage our Masters students to have a more active role in our research. We shared ideas on the potential to offer a suite of Masters projects that would enable our students to collaborate, across disciplines, on CARIAD our project. More on this to follow….
Blog
Well-Being 2016 conference
The CARIAD LAUGH team recently attended the Well-Being 2016 Conference at Birmingham City University to present the paper ‘Designing for wellbeing in late stage dementia’.
The full paper will be uploaded soon.
The Vale of Glamorgan show
Members of the CARIAD team supported the Alzheimer’s Society at The Vale of Glamorgan show, by running Hand i Pocket sessions. Visitors to the show were invited to stitch sensory textile pockets for people living with advanced dementia and the Alzheimer’s Society were on hand to offer advice and support.
CARIAD work featured in ‘Dementia Journey’ blog
Prof Cathy Treadaway’s work has been featured by Deborah Shouse on her blog ‘Dementia Journey’.
Read the full article here: ‘The Inside Story of Designing for Dementia’
Design Research Society 2016
The LAUGH team recently attended the DRS2016: Design Research Society 50th Anniversary Conference in Brighton to present the paper ‘In the moment: designing for late stage dementia’.
The full paper can be found here.
Wales Festival of Innovation
CARIAD threw open its doors this month to share its pioneering design research. The LAUGH project team, based in CARIAD, are working with health professionals and the care sector to develop playful objects to be used in the care of people with late stage dementia.
The LAUGH design Challenge took place in PDR at Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Llandaff Campus, and invited the public with an interest in design and technology to get involved as part of the showcase Wales Festival of Innovation, a national programme of events to celebrate ground-breaking activity in Wales.
The LAUGH team, which includes researchers from universities in the UK and Australia, gave participants the opportunity to use their expertise to help develop new products to stimulate laughter and fun for people living with advanced dementia.
This was one of dozens of participants in the Festival, which is organised jointly by the ESTnet (the technology network for Wales), the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN) and MediWales with the support of Welsh Government and industry partners.
Wychwood Festival
CARIAD members recently ran a series of Hand i Pocket ‘funshops’ at the Wychwood Festival (3rd – 5th June 2016). These sessions offered visitors to the festival the opportunity to get creative and make a sensory textile ‘Hand i Pocket’ for someone with late stage dementia. A Hand i Pocket is a stitched textile pocket that looks colourful, is interesting to touch and comforting to feel that will stimulate and amuse someone with late stage dementia.
Working with Age Cymru and Dementia & Imagination (Bangor Univeristy) at the festival, CARIAD’s Funshops were a great success with many pockets made.
Hand i Pocket Funshops are a global community network making textiles for people with dementia. More information about Hand i Pockets can be found at: www.laughproject.info or www.handsproject.info
Visit to CHeBA
Tuesday February 9th 2016 Professor Cathy Treadaway and Dr Gail Kenning met with Professor Henry Brodaty, Scientia Professor of Ageing and Mental Health at CHeBA Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, University of New South Wales, Sydney, to discuss the LAUGH project and other related dementia projects in Australia. Professor Brodaty is one of the leading academics in the field of dementia research in Australia.
NAS Autism and Technology
This one-day conference brought a diverse range of speakers and delegates together to share research, practical experiences and ideas for technological innovation. Jamie and Lion set the tone for understanding the impact of technology in day-to-day living – for communication, work and leisure.
Our talk offered a journey through our experiences of developing software, focusing on Attention, Perception, Feedback, Repetition and Flow. We used this opportunity to launch the first release of Somatopia, which aims to bridge the gap between genuine innovation and end users who are disenfranchised through perceptions of disability and lack of resources (human and technological).
We hope that by making the software, code and instructions for designing Somatopia apps available to download, Somatopia will appeal to enthusiasts with expert knowledge, and those who enjoy making and tinkering with technology. See more on the Somatopia page.
Visit to Alzheimer’s New South Wales, Sydney Australia
Monday February 8th Professor Cathy Treadaway and Dr Gail Kenning visited Alzheimer’s NSW. They met with Jo-Ann Brown to discuss the Alzheimer’s NSW Dementia Advocate scheme and ways of including people with dementia in research.
