Children’s hospital gets new mobile entertainment centre
Posted Nov 13, 2021 6:00 am.
Last Updated Nov 12, 2021 9:22 am.
Families spending time at the Alberta Children’s Hospital will have a fun new space to distract from the illnesses they may be battling.
The new mobile entertainment unit from Starlight Canada features a flat-screen television and a Nintendo Switch gaming system preloaded with a wide variety of games.
“If a child is in hospital confined to their beds, so they can’t go to one of the Starlight rooms or playrooms, staff can roll one of these fun centres up to their bedside and they can have hours of fun playing different video games, they can interact with their friends at home. Just a real great way to distract them from the trials and tribulations that they’re facing while they’re stuck in hospital,” said Starlight Canada CEO Brian Bringolf
It also has an internet connection to allow kids to connect with friends and family via video chat and social media, as well as watch movies and TV shows.
The units have been created specifically with sanitation in mind to help ensure infections won’t be spread around to vulnerable kids.
“We built them specifically for the rigors of hospital cleaning chemicals etcetera and again it just completely distracts them, they can even interact with their friends, do homework with their friends because with these new gaming units you can communicate to one another with a little headset,” said Bringolf.
This will be especially helpful in the COVID-19 era, which has seen hospital play areas shut due to the virus.
The hospital in Calgary is one of several children’s hospitals across Canada getting a combined total of 48 mobile entertainment centres.
