Three fundraising superstars have purchased a new touch screen therapy system for Islay Hospital which will help dementia patients to recall and share memories from their past.
RITA is an interactive touch screen system which allows patients to listen to archived music, watch news reports of important historical events, sing karaoke, look at old photographs and more.
The device is particularly beneficial to those with dementia but its calming qualities can benefit patients with other cognitive challenges or mental health needs.
The three ladies all have backgrounds in healthcare and when they set up RITA in the hospital they witnessed its transformative impact on a patient with severe dementia.
The elderly lady had developed ‘Sundowning’, a phenomenon that causes increased confusion and restlessness in dementia patients during the evening and late afternoon, but Christianne said the RITA “completely settled her”. Tina added: “She was with us the whole time.”
The patient enjoyed singing to ABBA and dancing to her favourite songs from younger years. She was also shown the original Christmas Carol film and Neil Armstrong’s famous moon landing speech, with buried memories coming back to the surface.
Christianne said: “We knew the science and the purpose behind RITA, but actually seeing it in action after all that hard work getting it was something else.”
Linda, Tina and Christianne, otherwise known as “the itsy-bitsy fundraising committee”, have put on multiple fundraising events this year, including a mud run, a pub quiz and a moonlight walk.
They are in the process of obtaining a second RITA system for Gortonvogie Residential Home and have organised a New Year hamper raffle to raise funds which local businesses and members of the community donated to.
The trio have been supported by the Islay Connections charity who have helped with logistics of holding the fundraising money and purchasing the machines. Tina and Christianne have now joined the Islay Connections Committee and are eager to continue fundraising and improving the wellbeing of residents on the island.
Mike Hamilton, Managing Director at My Improvement Network (the creators of RITA), said he can’t thank the ladies enough for providing the Islay community with a RITA.
Mike decided to get involved in RITA after witnessing the deterioration of his own mum, who suffered with undiagnosed mental health issues for 12 years.
He said: “I saw behaviours in my own mum that no one wants to recall - they don’t want to see their loved ones disappearing psychologically in front of their eyes.
“So, when I was connected to RITA and saw what it can achieve for patients, families and staff I fell head over heels in love with the technology.”
Mike’s Mum used RITA in her care home before she passed away last year and he now finds fulfilment in hearing stories about the system bridging the gap between patients and loved ones.
Through their fundraising, Mike said Tina, Linda and Christianne have paved the way for future “magic moments” to occur.
He added: “RITA allows staff and family members to find the person that resides behind the cognitive issue they are experiencing, even if it’s just a little flicker of them from time to time.
“That flicker can change a patient from being quite combative to having a beautiful smile on their face and engaging and sharing with you. That’s the magic that is going to happen.”