28 Dare To Imagine Modelled on a picture frame, the KOMP is a onebutton computer which allows residents to speak with nominated family members without difficulty, and without needing the support of carers. KOMP allows family members to send text messages, photos, and videos whenever they want via an app. It became clear, when talking to family members that all they really wanted to do was to synthesize their normal communications practices with friends (via WhatsApp, etc.) and send simple things such as short videos or ideas to their family member in Longfield. Care home residents, without technology, were being excluded from the ordinary. KOMP, with its incredibly simple user interface can offer a solution to intergenerational communication between residents in their private space of their room with their wider family. The device is used across the NHS and was developed over many years with senior Care Home operators. The initial seeds of a project entitled ‘MATRIARCH’ was born. Jack worked with family members of three residents to set up the app on their phones, installed the KOMPS and began to see a high level of traffic of normal updates from family members to residents. However, use of the KOMPS raised many GDPR and privacy questions which was hard to overcome and after much discussion, in late 2022, the experiment was stopped. curious directive withdrew the KOMPS and returned to the drawing board again. EXPERIMENTS 2022-2023 Delivering an idea which felt simpler became the priority for curious directive, ideally one linked to the company’s other work. Earlier in the project, it was clear that Paula really enjoyed the offer of small, easy-to-replicate interactions with residents. curious directive had recently established Science Club at its base in Norwich, billed as ‘science for grown-ups’, offering a great night out with food, drink, and science. Although the arts have grown a lot in care homes in recent years, science focused activities remain very rare. The final idea of ‘EXPERIMENTS’ was born. The main aims of these experiments are to provide residents with something interactive, hands-on, kinesthetic – involving science; something residents can keep, make, or hold; and something which is replicable after curious directive has moved on. With Karen, the new Lifestyle Coordinator, Jack began to develop new experiences to carry out with the residents. Testing EXPERIMENTS Jack attended Longfield for two days, working with Karen to deliver the experiments in the four lodges. The experiments were carried out in a variety of formats, ranging from including four to five residents around a shared table to working one-to-one with residents. Cyanotype print making This included foraging for objects in the home which aesthetically appealed to the resident, as well as bringing in natural objects from outside. Once the objects were assembled, Jack worked with the residents to create a collage on a piece of A4 or A3 paper (depending on eyesight). Then, using the light sensitive cyanotype paper (created onsite with the residents) the objects were then taken out into the sun to develop, creating silhouettes. The prints were then signed by the residents, as artists. In most cases, Jack schemed with the residents to work out who might receive their artwork as a gift.
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