Beyond Background TV: Exploring the Role of Dementia-Friendly Television in Engagement, Wellbeing and Connection
Lunchtime Sessions 1
17 November, 2026 1:20 – 2:05 pmElectronic Posters
Gerri McHugh
Executive Director
My Life Films
TBC from NAPA
Summary
Television is part of everyday life in many care settings, yet relatively little attention has been paid to how television designed specifically for people living with dementia might contribute to meaningful engagement, emotional wellbeing, connection and quality of life.
My Life TV is a dementia-friendly streaming service developed specifically for people living with dementia. In 2026, My Life Films commissioned an independent evaluation, generously funded by Dementia Research UK and undertaken by NAPA (the National Activity Providers Association), to strengthen the evidence base around how dementia-friendly television is used and experienced in care settings.
Working with six to nine care homes across a range of settings and geographic locations, including urban and rural communities, the research uses a sequential exploratory mixed-methods design. Qualitative exploration through semi-structured staff interviews, observational visits and case studies will examine how My Life TV is used in everyday practice, the needs it helps to address, perceived benefits for residents, and barriers and facilitators to effective use. These findings will inform a quantitative survey across participating settings, with qualitative and quantitative evidence subsequently integrated and analysed.
The research focuses particularly on engagement, emotional wellbeing, meaningful occupation, communication, social interaction and quality of life, while also exploring which forms of content appear most useful and how staff facilitate their use.
Fieldwork will take place between August and October 2026. This presentation will share emerging findings from the independent evaluation and consider their implications not only for the future development of My Life TV, but for the wider conversation about how television and screen-based content can be used more thoughtfully as part of person-centred dementia care.