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

Caregiving products are often built around what’s easy to sell, not what’s really needed. Absorbent products, safety products, monitoring tools, passive entertainment. All important. All necessary. But they assume something that often isn’t true: That the person can communicate their needs. When that breaks down, everything changes. Discomfort becomes agitation. Boredom becomes restlessness. An unmet need becomes a "behavior." And now the caregiver isn’t solving a problem. Th

There was a moment with my mom that I won’t forget. I was sitting with her, trying to engage her in something, anything. I suggested an activity. She didn’t respond. I tried again, a different way. Nothing. After a few minutes, I stopped. Not because I didn’t care. Because I didn’t know what to do next. That was the hardest part. Not the time. Not the responsibility. The uncertainty. I remember thinking, I should know how to do this. So I did what most people do. I looked for

If you’re caring for someone with incontinence, you learn something quickly that no one really tells you upfront: What looks like “behavior” is often communication. Agitation. Restlessness. Resistance. It’s easy to assume things are getting worse cognitively. But often, it’s something far more basic—and far more fixable. Discomfort. A wet or soiled brief, even for a short time, can trigger distress. And when someone is nonverbal or struggling to express needs, that discomfort

My goal was simple. I wanted to be able to reach my mom...consistently. Not once. Not occasionally. Every time I sat down with her. And for a moment, I thought I had found something that worked. She was holding it, interacting with it, engaged in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. It felt like a breakthrough. But the next time I reached for it, I stopped. It didn’t feel clean. I didn’t know where it had been, how it had been handled, or how to reset it quickly. So I didn’t u

Angela Fairhurst shares the inspiring story behind Geri-Gadgets, a company born from personal caregiving challenges. Discover how physical touch and sensory tools are transforming dementia care, the design principles behind these gadgets, and their future integration into healthcare systems.

It’s a bit of a strange feeling, and not the easiest thing to explain properly. You just feel restless. Like there’s energy in your body, but nothing to do with it. Sometimes it’s that urge to get up for no reason, or just not being able to fully settle. For many people, it shows up in small things. Mostly with their hands. Tapping on a desk, clicking a pen, messing with sleeves, or whatever’s nearby. It’s not even something you think about half the time; it just kind of happ

I didn’t expect my mom and children to connect. By that point, conversation with my mom was already limited. I wasn’t sure what it would look like to have them in the same space, let alone interact in a meaningful way. I remember watching closely, wondering if it would feel awkward… or if there would just be silence. At first, there wasn’t much. But then I placed something simple in their hands. No instructions. No expectations. Just something to touch, explore, and interact

For four years, I couldn’t reach my mom. Conversation became fragmented, then impossible. The things that once connected us—shared stories, humor, even simple exchanges—slowly disappeared. I would sit with her, trying to engage, trying to find something that worked, and nothing did. Like so many families, I was told to rely on passive solutions. Turn on the television. Play music. Offer something to keep her occupied. But she wasn’t occupied. She was disconnected. And so was

I’m proud to share that Geri-Gadgets® is part of a new initiative with the New York State Office for the Aging, supporting engagement across Social Adult Day Services (SADS) programs statewide. At a time when loneliness, agitation, and caregiver stress continue to rise, the need for simple, scalable, non-pharmacological solutions has never been greater. Geri-Gadgets® was designed to meet that need. Our SafeTouch™ silicone sensory kits are: • Washable and non-toxic • Designe

We hear a lot about how to stay healthy. Eat well. Exercise regularly. Get enough sleep. Manage stress. All of these matter. But there is one essential element of wellness that is often overlooked, and it may be the most important of all: human connection. True longevity is not just about how long we live. It is about how well we live, how engaged we feel, and how connected we remain to ourselves and to others. Over time, I came to understand this not through research, but th