183: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill - Episode 183183: The 'D' Word with Pete Hill - Episode 183
UK Health Radio Podcast
Angela Fairhurst shares how caring for her mum with Lewy body dementia led her to create sensory engagement kits that foster safe, non-verbal connection. Host Peter and Angela talk about acceptance, reducing stigma and finding small, practical ways to keep people with dementia included and engaged.
35:05•25 Sept 2026
Kitchen Inventions, Deep Connection and Dementia Care with Angela Fairhurst
Episode Overview
- Connection in dementia care does not rely on words; simple actions and touch can communicate love and calm more effectively than speech.
- Food-grade silicone sensory tools provide safe, durable, mouth-safe options that can be washed and reused, unlike many standard toys.
- Carers are encouraged to accept that the person they love has changed and to work with who is in front of them today, rather than clinging to the past.
- Small signs of engagement – holding an item, putting something in the mouth, choosing a colour – are meaningful wins and should be recognised as such.
- Inclusion, routine activity and outdoor time can significantly improve quality of life, reducing isolation and long periods of decline in people with dementia.
“"I wanted to make it easy. I wanted to find a way in. I know connection is possible. And I have proof."”
Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This conversation shifts the focus from alcohol to another tough topic many families quietly carry: dementia. The D Word podcast sits down with former television producer turned "healthaholic" Angela Fairhurst, who created Geri-Gadgets while caring for her mum, who was living with Lewy body dementia.
You’ll hear Angela explain how a misdiagnosis, dangerous side effects from multiple antipsychotic medications, and the chaos of hospitalisations pushed her to search for safer, more meaningful ways to connect. Spotting her mum’s fascination with touch, she repurposed a silicone potholder in her kitchen, sparking the idea for sensory engagement kits designed to be safe in the mouth, washable, and tough enough for daily use.
Angela breaks down three themed kits – fidgets for clenched hands, a flower bucket for creative play, and a shapes bucket inspired by Tetris – all built around one principle: "There isn’t any right or wrong. There’s no sense of failure." She shares how these tools help reduce so‑called “bad behaviours”, which she reframes as unspoken needs, and how non-verbal connection can calm distress without relying on medication.
Host Peter challenges the difference between communication and connection, and Angela gently reminds carers that acceptance, patience and “keeping it simple” are crucial, especially when grief, guilt and burnout creep in. She also touches on stigma, isolation, and what other countries, like the Netherlands, are getting right by keeping people with dementia active, outdoors and included.
With Angela now partnering with Stanford University to study the physiological effects of these sensory tools, this episode will speak to anyone supporting a loved one with dementia, anyone interested in non-pharmacological care, and anyone who’s ever felt overwhelmed by caregiving. It might just nudge you to ask: what tiny, practical thing could make connection easier today?
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