​Andrew's Cards: serious game co-designed by people with a learning disability

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What is it?

Andrew's Cards is a conversational card game for people with a learning disability. The aim is to enable individuals to get to know new friends or new supporters in a relaxed and fun way by talking about likes, dislikes and everyday activities. This is intended to support a change such as moving to a shared home or care home with new housemates or residents, getting to know a new personal assistant or support worker, or any change that involves meeting new people. Family and support/care home staff are encouraged play too. Andrew's Cards can be ordered using the link to the right of this page.. 

Andrew's Cards was co-designed by Expert Advisors: Andrew Doyle, Louise Boustead, Lynn Doyle, Jenna Wardrop, Justin Chan and Neil Price. This builds on findings from the Stand by Me project funded by the Dunhill Medical Trust evidencing ways in which a change or transition can be better supported.  

Andrew's Cards

£10.00

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Delivery (UK only) £3.69

What are the intended outcomes?

The outcomes have been mapped to the quality frameworks and strategies of the UK regulatory bodies: Care Quality Commission England, Care Inspectorate Scotland, Care Inspectorate Wales and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (Northern Ireland). This enables staff to demonstrate that they know people with a learning disability on an individual basis and that current needs and wishes are understood, whilst recognising that longer term preferences may change. The game should not replace care or support plans. Nor should it be used in place of tools such as hospital passports, communication passports or resources to record information after a dementia diagnosis such as This is Me (Alzheimer’s Society) or Getting to Know Me (Alzheimer Scotland). However, with agreement from all players, conversations and preferences may inform subsequent support. This facilitates improvement efforts with responsive and compassionate care whilst ensuring that preferences are not lost or only known by players of the game. 

Co-designing the game

Expert Advisors Justin, Louise. Jenna and Neil co-designing Andrew's Cards

What is a serious game?

Andrew's Cards has been co-designed and tested with people who have a learning disability including some with dementia, social care staff from care homes and learning disability service providers. The game is based on the quality of life domains of having a safe and stable home (physical wellbeing), being respected and feeling heard (rights and social inclusion), having choices (self-determination) and having meaningful relationships (emotional wellbeing). This is presented in the game as four colour-coded categories of at home, favourite things, knowing me and for fun. 

​Serious games have a clear purpose in addition to entertainment. The aim is to combine important and serious aspects of people’s lives at a time of change or transition with a fun approach. This is achieved in Andrew's Cards by using the familiar format of a card game, having simple rules and an immediate, but optional, response from all players. Consideration has been given to the questions used in the game, to ease of play and potential outcomes. 

Conversations with support

Closed questions, such as offering a choice, can be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ or a single word answer. Open questions, whilst intended to be easy to answer, allow the respondent to decide how much information to share. Not everyone will find the questions easy to understand and prompts may be helpful. This may include images, photographs, symbols or signs. Words used in some of the questions may need adapted for ease of understanding, for example what someone likes to eat on their birthday is more specific than how they like to celebrate. Go with the flow if the conversation goes off topic and enjoy the conversation!

Conversations with caution

Some of the questions in the game involve reminiscence. Whilst this is intended to be enjoyable and most people naturally remember happy memories, you should be aware that some memories may be sad or difficult to move on from. Similarly, some people may be reluctant to join if they are worried that they will not be able to remember. This may be apparent through body language or tone of voice rather than what someone says. Giving reassurance is important and working at the pace of each individual. it is possible to be part of the game and not answer any of the questions, the pass card can be used as often as you wish.

How do I play?

• Place the coloured cards face down in four piles, red, blue, green and yellow.
• Roll the dice for your colour of question, blue, red, yellow or green. This is asked by the person on your right or by one agreed question-master. If you land on pink, you can roll or spin again, if you land on purple, you miss a turn. 
• When it is your turn to roll you can answer the question first, then all other players answer the same question in turn. You can choose not to answer a question as many times as you wish by showing your pass card. When everyone has answered who wishes to do so, the next player then rolls the dice for their colour of card.

The game is recommended for 2-4 players. There is no time limit and no winner. The length of the game will vary depending on individual preference. You may choose to stop after a small number of questions taking just a few minutes or after many questions over a longer period of time. If any of the players have dementia, a shorter game is recommended of 10-15 minutes maximum.

Andrew's Cards is powered by ESRC's Healthy Ageing Challenge. © University of Stirling