Dementia Appeal
21 May 2015
Fundraising
May 17–23 is Dementia Awareness Week. The number of people living with dementia is set to rise to one million in the UK by 2021 with one in three people over 65 developing the condition.
The hospital already offers a wide range of services for
patients with dementia, including detailed assessment for a
definitive diagnosis and treatment for Alzheimer's disease and
vascular dementia.
It's also home to a memory team which gives help and support to
patients and their carers. Nursing staff on our elderly wards
attend specialist dementia training and we run a befriender
service, provided by volunteers.
Now staff and volunteers are being offered awareness training by
specialist practitioner Michael Daley who describes his role as
providing 'dementia customer service'.
Michael said:"We hope that everyone working at the hospital from
nurses and ward clerks to porters and catering staff will attend
the training sessions which are designed to give everyone a better
insight and greater understanding of the needs of our dementia
patients."
Recently, we launched a dementia champion's programme to ensure
that each ward or distinct area has its own dementia champion who
has completed specialist training in the condition. The champions,
recognisable by their distinctive blue forget-me-not badge pass on
their knowledge to staff in their own department and liaise with
the memory service.
To help support dementia patients coming to hospital we've
launched a £29,834 Dementia Appeal which comes with its own 'wish
list'.
- memory boxes to help patients disorientated by unfamiliar
surroundings
- bed sensors and chair sensors to alert nurses when patients
want to get up and to reduce the incidence of falling
- special signs to help patients find their way around
- personal DVD and MP3 players for listening to aid
relaxation
- sing-along CDs and 1940s-themed conversation cards to stimulate
conversation with older patients.