Image: FVHCF / Staff with the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation are pictured with an ambient activity device (ABBY) donated to the Bradley Centre long-term care facility.

By Don Mitchell

dementia treatment

New wall-mount technology at Chilliwack long-term care treats those living with dementia

Sep 27, 2024 | 11:35 AM

CHILLIWACK – An interactive wall-mount technology offering dementia treatment for residents has been donated to a Chilliwack long-term care facility.

A spokesperson for the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation (FVHCF) says the ambient activity technology, also known as ABBY, can stimulate users at the Bradley Centre Long-Term Care through programs that mimic petting a cat or turning a steering wheel during a virtual countryside drive.

“ABBY can also be personalized for families and friends to upload photos, songs, and favourite television shows to create purposeful engagements with loved ones,” Foundation Fund Development Coordinator Dr. Lakhbir Jassal explained.

Dementia is an age-related progressive loss of cognitive function, mostly affecting those 65 years and older, according to the foundation.

The condition has a range of symptoms, which can include trouble communicating, memory issues, and confused thinking.

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Aaron Docksteader, manager of clinical operations at the Bradley Centre, says most residents use the system independently, though some require assistance from staff and family.

“Our next step is to customize some of the interactions based on the seasons and special events,” Docksteader revealed.

The FVHCF serves Abbotsford, Mission, Chilliwack, Hope, Agassiz, and Harrison Hot Springs, raising funds for vital equipment and programs the Fraser Health Authority endorsed.

For more information on ABBY, donated by Sansar and Sawtantra Chauhan, visit fvhcf.ca