Lifehouse Church donated the iPads to the facility, run by the Whiddon Group, along with a laptop computer and a video camera recently.

“The more residents can stay active in their mind and maintain their dexterity the better they age,” care services director Karen Fenning said.

Lifehouse Church representative Chris Price helps out at the facility which led to the donation.

The games installed on the tablets have proved especially popular.

Mr Saxby, who is 101, instinctively used his finger to play the find-a-word on the iPad the first time he picked it up.

Joan Pryke, 98, is another convert and likes to play with the keyboard app to make a tune.

The iPads are educational too.

The men’s group at the facility often receives talks from a historian and the residents are able to search the internet for items from that discussion.

“I think the internet is very good,” resident Beryl Young said.

“I play a lot of games and it keeps the brain going.”

Mrs Fenning said the iPads were used in group sessions and one-on-one in residents’ rooms.

“They’ve been really useful in our programs here,” she said.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without the generous donation from Lifehouse Church.”

Senior Pastor Tim Cooper said his congregation was eager to help the residents.

“We asked them [Whidden Group] what we could do,” he said.

The devices were outside the church’s budget so it held a five-course charity dinner to purchase them.

Items were auctioned between the courses. 

Pastor Cooper hoped the iPads would particularly help those residents confined to their beds.

They can use the iPads to view videos shot on outings by the more mobile residents.

“They won’t feel like they’re being left out this way,” he said.