A PROJECTOR worth thousands of pounds is being trialled at a care home to stimulate residents with dementia.

Staff at The Haven care home in Colchester have just installed the projector, which is fitted into the ceiling and can cast images onto a table.

It is aimed at residents at the home in Harwich Road who have dementia, autism, or cognitive impairments.

Residents can swipe away leaves to find insects, pop virtual bubbles, or sing along to words projected on the table.

Care home manager, Ryan Moring, said the £8,000 projector was courtesy of an Essex County Council project.

He said: "The Prosper Project is aimed at care homes to prevent hospital admissions and falls.

"Essex County Council had funding available for a couple of care homes in Essex to get the projectors.

"We had to apply for it, and luckily due to our hard work on the project they chose us."

He said the projector would benefit both residents and care staff, acting as a meaningful and fun activity.

He added: "We are absolutely thrilled, it's something we deserve as we are an 'outstanding' rated care home, we are very innovative and it's the perfect place to trial the equipment.

"The residents have been so impatient, they have kept asking when it is going to arrive.

"It's something else to stimulate their minds, there are some people with dementia who display challenging behaviour and it's a nice way for them to reduce that by calming them down.

"It's going to benefit everyone, including the care staff."

The Prosper Project also inspired initiatives such as Pimp My Zimmer and Light My Night.

Pimp my Zimmer gives residents in care homes the opportunity to jazz up their walking frames so they can see them, and have less risk of falling over.