You have made time to visit. Now you are sitting together, wondering what to say or do next. A shared hands-on activity can give a visit a starting point without requiring someone to remember names, answer questions or maintain a conversation. Here are five ways to introduce Geri-Gadgets® during a family visit. 1. Make a flower arrangement together Place a few Flowers pieces within easy reach. Invite your family member to choose the first flower, then take turns adding pieces

Choosing an engagement tool begins with the person who will use it. What interests them? Do they enjoy arranging objects, creating patterns or keeping their hands moving? Will you use the kit during family visits, individual sessions or group activities? Geri-Gadgets® offers three SafeTouch™ silicone sensory engagement kits, each with different possibilities. Flowers: For arranging and creating together The Flowers kit includes tulips, leaves and a vase. It offers a familiar

https://riverside.com/dashboard/studios/season-5-Mwyr9/projects/6aa83789d3f950e902bc2119?share-token=71f50fc0f0cbc5be4b5c&content-shared=project Angela Fairhurst, founder and CEO of Geri-Gadgets, shares her innovative approach to sensory engagement for people living with dementia. Discover how purpose-built, adult-appropriate sensory tools can transform care, reduce agitation, and foster meaningful connection.

A dementia diagnosis does not erase a person’s creativity, preferences or desire to accomplish something. Some people enjoy exploring an object’s texture. Others want to build, arrange, invent or solve a problem. The invitation needs to reflect the individual. When choosing dementia activities for adults, leave room for that range. Offer a starting point, then let the person lead With Geri-Gadgets® Flowers, you might begin by inviting someone to create an arrangement for a di

Alone in her kitchen while caring for her mother with Lewy body Dementia – Angela Fairhurst invented Geri-Gadgets to bring connection back to care. Pete presents The ‘D’ Word the radio show that talks about dementia. Born in London, he spent over 30 years in local government as a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner while combining a part-time career in sports radio. He spent two years seconded to the Health Protection Agency running a national partnership working proj

What finally reached her mother after four years was already in her kitchen drawer. Angela Fairhurst had brought her mother children's toys. They were infantilizing. They were too complicated. Crayons became lipstick, because in dementia a crayon stops looking like a crayon. Nothing was dishwasher safe, and nothing was safe in the mouth. Her mother was agitated, kicking and biting at her care home, and Angela was afraid she would be asked to leave. Families listening to this

Take a moment and look around. Someone is tapping a pencil on a desk. Another person is twisting a wedding ring. Someone else is absentmindedly running their fingers along the seam of a jacket, rubbing a coffee mug between their hands, or clicking a pen while they think. Most of us don’t even realize we’re doing it. Touch is one of the most fundamental ways human beings interact with the world. Long before we learn to speak, we reach. We grasp. We squeeze. We explore. And alt

The Influential Women Podcast celebrates the stories, strategies, and successes of powerhouse women who are redefining what it means to lead, create, and inspire. From entrepreneurs and executives to creators, innovators, and changemakers, each episode features candid conversations that reveal how these women built their paths, overcame obstacles, and continue to empower others. Hosted by Jodie O'Brien, a seasoned journalist and media consultant known for her ability to spark

If you've ever watched someone repeatedly fold a napkin, rub their hands together, tap a table, pick at clothing, pace the room, or search through drawers, you've probably heard these actions described as 'problem behaviors.' But what if we've been looking at them the wrong way? What if those behaviors aren't the problem at all? What if they're communication? Whether a person is living with dementia, autism, Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, develop

For a long time, I believed connection depended on conversation. With my mom, that was how we had always related—through stories, humor, shared memories. So when her cognitive decline progressed and conversation became difficult, I kept trying to reach her the same way. I would ask questions. Repeat myself. Try to pull her back into dialogue. It didn’t work. Instead, it created frustration—for both of us. There was a moment when I realized I was holding onto a version of conn

Across Southern California, hundreds of thousands of people are caring for a loved one with dementia while juggling work, family, and everyday life, often with little support. Angela Fairhurst, Founder and CEO of Geri-Gadgets, is working to change that. In this episode of SoCal Voices, she shares her personal journey, practical resources, and the inspiration behind tools designed to help people living with dementia and their caregivers feel more connected, supported, and unde

Finding ways to engage people in late-stage dementia who are largely non-verbal can be challenging, but a terrific new tool invented and patented by former television producer Angela Fairhurst is a great solution. Learn more at https://geri-gadgets.com.

There were moments with my mom that felt overwhelming. She would become restless, agitated, sometimes resistant to anything I suggested. My instinct was to try to calm her, redirect her verbally, or stop the behavior. But none of it worked consistently. It felt like I was always reacting, never really understanding. Over time, I began to see those moments differently. Agitation wasn’t random. It was communication. Not in words, but in behavior. Something was off—boredom, conf

For a long time, I didn’t recognize idle time as a problem. When I sat with my mom and nothing was happening, I assumed it was fine. Rest is important. Quiet moments are part of the day. But over time, I began to notice a pattern I couldn’t ignore. Those were the moments when she became the most unsettled. She would shift in her seat, grow restless, sometimes withdraw or become agitated. I didn’t understand why. Nothing had happened. There was no clear trigger. So I did what

There were many times when I relied on the television with my mom. It was the easiest option. If I needed a moment, if I didn’t know what else to do, I would turn it on. It filled the room. It gave us something to focus on. It felt like I was doing something helpful. And at first, I told myself it was working. But then I started paying closer attention. She wasn’t interacting with it. Sometimes she would look at the screen. Sometimes she wouldn’t. There was no response, no pa

Geri-Gadgets® Change Cognitive Care In senior living communities, home care settings, and therapeutic environments across the country, one challenge remains stubbornly persistent: keeping cognitively impaired residents and clients engaged in a way that is safe, dignified, and actually effective. Geri-Gadgets® solves that. The therapeutic activity kits help individuals living with dementia and cognitive impairment stay engaged through safe, dignified, and failure-free acti

For a long time, I thought engagement was about attention. If my mom was looking at something, responding verbally, or following along, I assumed she was engaged. But when her cognitive decline progressed, those signals started to disappear. She wasn’t responding the way she used to. She wasn’t following conversations. And I kept trying to reach her the same way—through words, through explanation, through prompting. It wasn’t working. What I didn’t understand at the time was

Being a caregiver to a parent or loved one can be exhausting and stressful. According to a new study, it is so difficult that some caregivers are finding themselves unable to continue. As an author, speaker, and radio show host, my mission is to acknowledge and appreciate all caregivers as they care for those who can not care for themselves. I intend to empower the caregiver, ease their burdens, and help them find the joy in the journey through education, comfort, and support

There was a moment with my mom that stayed with me. I handed her something I thought she could do—a simple activity, something familiar. She hesitated. Then she stopped. And I could see it in her face. She wasn’t confused. She was unsure. There was an expectation she couldn’t meet. And in that moment, she disengaged. That’s when I realized something I hadn’t considered before. Many activities are built around success and failure. There’s a right way. A wrong way. An outcome y

Boredom in dementia care isn't just uncomfortable — it shows up as agitation, withdrawal, and behaviors that too often lead to medication. Angela Fairhurst, founder of Geri-Gadgets, found a better way. After a winding caregiving journey with her own mother, she designed a line of sensory tools built specifically for aging hands, aging eyes, and aging dignity. In this episode, she and host Ishanya Anthapur explore how 15 minutes of meaningful engagement can change the entire c