The comfort of a hug, when it’s needed most.
HUG™ is a sensory product that is designed to be cuddled by people with dementia. It has long weighted limbs to give you a hug, a beating heart inside its super soft body, and a music player that can play music from your favourite playlist. The HUG is proven to reduce anxiety in people with advanced dementia.
HUG™ was developed by the HUG by LAUGH team at Cardiff Metropolitan University and is supported by Alzheimer’s Society. Research, led by Cardiff Metropolitan University, found that 87% of participants who used HUG™ for six months experienced an increase in their wellbeing. HUG™ has been trialled in care homes, hospitals, and with people living with dementia at home and has been shown to soothe, comfort and reduce anxiety.
HUG™ was originally developed for a woman living with advanced dementia, who experienced a significant positive change in her health and wellbeing after using HUG™ for 3 months. She was bedbound, unable to communicate with poor appetite and general health. She was a person who frequently fell over but after receiving HUG™ she had no further falls. The soothing device provided her with comfort, purpose and reassurance that improved her quality of life resulting in better health outcomes.
HUG™ has recently been available on prescription in an NHS hospital trial where it was found to help reduce patients’ anxiety and agitation, aid communication, assist medical staff to give medication and perform basic medical procedures (such as taking blood pressure, etc).
People living with advanced dementia may find themselves increasingly more isolated, agitated and anxious – and it can be especially hard to provide comfort to people in the later stages of dementia, when they may be receiving end of life care. Communication can be challenging for both the person living with dementia and their loved ones, and people may experience changes in behaviour including distress or aggression.
With the number of people with dementia in the UK set to rise to 1.6 million by 2041, more and more people will reach the advanced stages of the disease – stressing the need for meaningful products to bring comfort to them. HUG™ can really change peoples’ lives – bringing comfort, companionship and joy.
Jackie Pool, Quality Compliance Systems’ (QCS), Dementia Care Champion and creator of the Pool Activity Level Instrument (PAL), a tool that assesses the level of functional ability of people with cognitive impairments, said:
‘I am delighted that I was able to develop a set of specific HUG™ PAL Guides which ensure that people living with dementia are supported at ‘just the right’ level and engage with HUG™ in the most meaningful way possible. We’re looking forward to continuing working with the HUG™ team to ensure that frontline carers can provide outstanding dementia care.’
Supported by the Alzheimer’s Society’s Accelerator Programme, HUG™ is now available to buy for care homes, hospitals and families with dementia via Ravencourt Living and Alzheimer’s Society shop.
For more information, please contact:
[email protected]
Ravencourt Living (worldwide distributors of HUG) +44 01780 489 100
International resellers:
UK: https://storyandsons.com/products/hug-by-laugh
US: https://www.alzstore.com/HUG-Sensory-Companion-Doll-p/0532.htm
North America: https://www.eugeria.ca/en/products/hug-by-laugh
AUS: https://homelifetech.com.au/products/doll-pet-therapy-hug-by-laugh