Care home residents use Google Nest to make video calls to family and friends

Residents at a care home in Chigwell, Essex are among the first in the UK to receive free Google Nest smart speakers, enabling them to make voice recognition calls to connect with friends and family.

Each device has been set-up for the residents in Lambwood Heights Care Home which includes each resident's contacts and calling preferences, with the aim of helping them to feel more connected with their loved ones.

The purpose-built hubs have been simplified for the home’s less tech-savvy residents, and each of them has full-control over their privacy settings.

Resident Winnie Mulgrew, 92, was one of the first residents to have one of the 20 devices in her bedroom. Ms Mulgrew uses this technology as a way of keeping in contact with her daughters, Margaret Godfrey and Carole Lambert.

Daughter, Margaret Godfrey said: “It took a little bit of guidance from the care staff for Mum to get used to it, but now she loves telling Google to video call us for a chat.

“Mum loves that she can see our faces and chat to us whenever she wants and will often call two or three times a week. Obviously, we would love to give Mum a big hug, but in these difficult times this definitely helps us to feel connected with each other.

“It’s so wonderful to be able to communicate with Mum and send her our love.”

In addition to video calling her daughters, former dancer Winnie enjoys using her device to listen to music from the 1940s and watch tap dancing videos.

Ms Godfrey added: “Having the device in her room means she has more choice over what she wants to watch. She still enjoys chatting to the other residents in the lounge, but if she wants to catch up with Strictly Come Dancing in her room, she can.”

Aimee Basham, lifestyles manager at Lambwood Heights said: “Having this new method of communication has been immensely impactful on the residents’ wellbeing.

“The boost to their independence also helps residents to feel more at home.”

Using the voice-activated device encourages the residents to have more control and "privacy" to make a call to loved ones or friends without relying on care home staff.

Oakland Care’s chief executive, Joanne Balmer, said: “For older people, and especially those with mobility issues, the world can often seem like it’s shrinking. With the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing measures, the ability to stay connected is more important than ever.

“During both lockdowns we have organised for our residents to video call their families, but the positive effect generated by the smart devices has been brilliant and takes it to a whole new level.

“For residents to be able to see the familiar faces of their loved ones is very reassuring in these difficult and uncertain times. It makes them feel more comfortable and less anxious."

She added: “It’s a great way of promoting independence and providing our residents with the privacy to make their calls. Residents can choose when to catch-up with a friend or loved one instead of relying on a member of staff.

“This enables us to provide even more personalised care and gives our residents greater choice and control over their day.”

click here for more details or to contact Lambwood Heights Care Home