EyUp! NHS Charity awarded £29,000 to support the delivery of Social-Ability’s interactive light therapy, aimed at transforming the care and wellbeing of older adults living with an acute mental health concern including those with cognitive challenges.
The Happiness Programme is being rolled out across five older adult inpatient wards at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, with a specific focus on improving clinical outcomes and wellbeing for service users.
The programme facilitates social, sensory, and cognitive activity by encouraging service users to play games and interact with each other. The light technology works by projecting images onto surfaces like tables, walls, or beds, allowing individuals to engage in games, listen to music, and interact with visual content.
The technology is designed to foster meaningful interactions, encourage social connection, and promote a healthy environment for both the people being supported and the care teams.
Jonny Hall, business operations officer and project lead, South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust said “We’re so thankful to EyUp! Charity for their support in the delivery of this exciting programme. Our inpatient staff are looking forward to introducing the programme to our service users and there’s already a real sense of excitement about how the programme can be utilised, alongside the excellent care our teams deliver.’’
Andrew Spiers, sales director of Social-Ability, said: “Happiness must be at the heart of the care agenda; nobody living with cognitive challenges should be without laughter or activity. That’s why we’re delighted to partner with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, to expand the Happiness Programme’s reach to those who benefit most from it.
“We have seen the tangible difference that the programme makes creating positive care outcomes, supporting care staff and families, ultimately enhancing the happiness of every individual we can reach. We can’t wait to see the impact of our partnership in South West Yorkshire and look forward to working with the team.”
