Lutheran Aged Care Dellacourt Albury launches Sensory Wizard

Lutheran Aged Care Dellacourt in West Albury on Friday launched Sensory Wizard, an interactive projection system of games and activities.

Facility manager Catherine Elder told the gathering a British company originally set up Sensory Wizard to assist children with autism.

"And then they found that it actually helped people with dementia, and it also helps everybody for (alleviating) boredom," she said.

The two units cost $32,000 and specific programs could be created for each resident.

"They can be taken to the resident's bed, they can be put on a table, there's 103 programs into each and they're always adding," Mrs Elder said.

Lutheran Aged Care managing director Wendy Rocks said with so much bad news evident in society, "we need all the fun we can get and that's our aim".

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The Rotary Clubs of Albury, Albury North, Albury Hume, Lavington and Albury Wodonga Sunrise contributed $10,000 towards the project.

Rotary Club of Lavington president Gordon Miller, a regular visitor, said the equipment would improve what was already an outstanding facility.

"People who work in aged care are very special people," he said.

"It's a difficult profession and I'm amazed at how well they do it."

Mr Miller thanked all the Rotarians who donated to the Sensory Wizard.

"It's a wonderful example of what you can do if you get together and work in harmony and that's what Rotary's about," he said.

"If you have respect for each other and you have concern for each other, you can do wonderful things.

"The gift that you give of yourself to others is far greater than any gift that you'll ever receive."

Dellacourt resident Dawn Gould felt the Sensory Wizard "can only do good".

"I think it all helps old people, a lot of these things, better than what we understand sometimes," she said.

Member for Albury Justin Clancy acknowledged dementia was something many families experienced.

"To have this equipment is such an important step in terms of providing facilities, providing the means to enhance the lives of people with that journey," he said.

He hoped the addition would provide residents with "much fun and positivity in the years ahead".

Ms Rocks pointed to the good stories in aged care facilities that were often overlooked.

"They are places of living, they are not morose or sad," she said.

"They are lively places where people are living until the end of their life."

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