Hear, Hear!

The kit is also very portable, allowing both Castle Farm and The Grove to share it between them and use it in a variety of rooms and settings.

The Abbeyfield Northumbria Society, which operates both homes, raised funds for the Roger Room Kit through a series of coffee mornings, sponsored events and a few generous donations. Following the quick installation process and training for staff, it instantly had a huge impact on residents’ experiences, as activities coordinator at The Grove, Erin Hope-Hume, explains.

“We have been using the system for several activities, from quizzes, to presentations, dominoes, bingo and even arts and crafts,” she says.

“Residents have become more involved, and some have started attending events they would not previously have attended due to hearing difficulties.

“The system has great potential, and we hope that we will be able to use it more in the future more for one-to-ones and family or professional visits.”

The residents themselves are clearly feeling the benefits.

One resident at The Grove, Liz, said that the new system gave her hope that further improvements and developments in technology may, in future, make difficulties participating in activities due to hearing impairments a thing of the past. Being able to hear clearly and join in, she added, “makes you feel part of the community.”

The advantages have not just been felt by those with hearing impairments – other residents have enjoyed welcoming people to different activities who would otherwise have been excluded, saying that they feel the home is now a more inclusive community where they can share more experiences.
The Grove resident Barbara remarked, “It's been wonderful to watch other residents, who normally struggle with hearing difficulties, being able to hear properly and participate in activities and conversation.”

Erin continues, “We have one resident at The Grove, Jenny, who is very hard of hearing and would have avoided many activities and group settings in the past because of this. 
“Since we started using the system, she has been coming along regularly and interacting at group events, including attending talks and presentations.

“Her scores at the weekly quiz, and those of other residents too, have shot up due to their ability to participate so much more.”

Erin is also keen to stress the upside of the Roger Room Kit for staff as well.

“It has huge benefits for the wellbeing of the staff team, as it means they are not having to shout to be heard,” she says.
Other staff who have used it have been similarly complimentary. Helen Angel, Erin’s counterpart activities coordinator at Castle Farm, said, “The first time we used it during a board games session, the change was immediately apparent.

“The dining room is a large, busy space with constant background noise from the kitchen and staff moving in and out. Despite this, the interaction between the residents was much smoother – we no longer had to raise our voices or repeat instructions as often.

“We also trialled the system during a residents’ meeting, and the improvement in communication was striking. Instead of brief ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers, residents offered more detailed feedback and responses, demonstrating its ability to facilitate a deeper level of engagement.”

Symphony Sound Director, Pritesh Nathwani, added, “Our mission is to transform everyday living for older people by improving the listening environment.

“To date, we’ve supported over 500 people in care homes across the UK, helping to reduce feelings of isolation and make group activities more inclusive through innovative sound technology.”

Abbeyfield Northumbria are hoping to be able to soon purchase additional kits for their other houses and homes, helping more residents to experience the benefits.

Interaction through innovation

Innovative technology, when used appropriately, can have a huge effect in older people’s housing and care. While not a replacement for face-to-face conversation, it could enhance communication and help staff to provide more meaningful support for their residents. Technology is advancing so quickly nowadays, and the beneficial effects of the Roger Room Kit are beyond what many residents at Castle Farm and The Grove could have ever imagined.