What’s small in name but not in nature?  What can connect us to our nearest and dearest yet take us out to space? That would be the residents’ ‘Tiny Tablet’ of course! 

This one device provides residents with a myriad of possibilities, from connecting family and friends through video calls, through to searching the solar system with an astronomy app, painting your own Picasso or playing games, there are so many opportunities for residents to explore.  The screen can be flipped and laid flat, so the device becomes an interactive table which is great for playing air hockey or relaxing sensory games. 

As the tablet has a re-positional screen which can be tilted all ways, and a height adjustable stand, it can be placed over a wheelchair, bed or chair, making it fully accessible to all residents wherever they are.  The sensitive touch screen has large icons and there is easily adjustable volume which make it easy for everyone to use.  The tablet is already popular amongst residents and we are only just scratching the surface of what it can do!

We’ve enjoyed wonderful ‘google earth’ trips with residents back to the place where they grew up, sharing in their curiosity about how things have changed and listening to reminiscences of what life used to be like back when they were young.  We have armchair travelled to past holiday destinations and to countries residents have always wanted to see, swooping down into ‘street view’ to take a tourist’s eye tour of some astonishingly beautiful places!

There have been times when residents have relived the glory days of sport, re-watching those memorable match days when personal heroes were playing.  It’s not just the watching of the football match which is important, but the conversations which follow as residents remember where they were on that particular day, they recall the friends and  family members they shared that moment with and the celebrations that followed the game. 

We have held our own ‘live music’ video concert courtesy of ‘youtube’, which gave one resident the freedom to curate a line up of her favourite performers for her friends to enjoy.  The host had requested a cosy, intimate setting for her concert and because the table is fully mobile, it was positioned within the library which was the perfect place. This may have been the first of its kind but it won’t be the last as we’re planning pop up ‘golden age sports’ spots and ‘evenings with..’ concert viewings!

There have been archery tournaments, sensory stimulation games and spoken books, group quizzes and solitary card games. The table has moved us with music, opened a window on the world, provided a portal back in time and it’s connecting us with the people we care about.  

@williamsimpsons_carehome The tiny tablet with endless possibilities. #tinytablet #socialcare ♬ Positive Vibes - Soundbeaver

The possibilities for this tablet seem endless but none of this would have been possible without the generous funding we received from The Queen Mary's Roehampton Trust, the Miss Dawson Trust and the Saints and Sinners Club. 

There are lots of ways you can support our charity, find out more about the different ways you can contribute and become a #WSSmileRaiser here: Fundraise for us | William Simpsons.