The Spark of Connection: Frank’s Story from Age UK Wandsworth

At Age UK Wandsworth, the Deputy Manager at their Day Centre, Frank, has seen firsthand how powerful the right kind of activity can be – especially when words aren’t always available.

One client, a woman living with dementia, is usually in constant motion. Non-verbal and often agitated, she spends much of her time pacing, rarely engaging with activities at the centre. But that changed the day Frank introduced her to The Happiness Programme.

“I took her to the carpet where the projection was,” Frank recalled. “As the interactive projection of falling petals lit up the floor, something lit up in her too. She responded straight away, playfully interacting with the colourful projection, completely engaged for a full half-hour. A real spark opened up,” said Frank. “She experienced something different.”

What surprised him most wasn’t just her interaction; it was the connection it helped forge between them. “With non-verbal clients, it can be more challenging to get to know them, but this helped us understand each other in a new way.”

The result? A calmer, more engaged visitor a stronger bond between staff and client. “Often she’s agitated, but this has calmed her. It keeps her attention, rather than her wandering. It has helped us connect.”

This moment wasn’t just joyful, it also gave Frank and the team valuable insight into what might bring her happiness, comfort, and calm, and was a powerful example of person-centred care in action. In dementia and older adult care, tailoring support to the individual is essential. That’s where tools like The Happiness Programme shine. “You need to know a little about someone and what they might respond to,” Frank explained. “The projector gives you so many ways to do that, including when communication is non-verbal.”

Moments like these are at the heart of The Happiness Programme; creating space for people to connect, communicate, and simply enjoy being together, even when words are hard to come by. And the joy that the Happiness Programme evokes doesn’t go unnoticed. “You can hear the laughter across the floors when we use it!”