Discharge Co-ordinator Kirsty Jowett from Ward 6 at HRI has prepared a memory box to help patients living with dementia feel more at ease when on the ward. 

Kirsty (pictured second from right) said: "I'm doing a Dementia Diploma at university and quickly realised the key is to have plenty of activities on offer for patients with dementia. And it's also about the environment. It's important to try and help them feel as though the surroundings are familiar and less clinical.

"So I started to pull together a memory box of things that might help: old photos of the area, pictures of movie stars, some music CDs from a charity shop too, as well as printing off old adverts.

"It's been a team effort on ward 6. From  trawling the charity chops for old CDs to promote the use of the twiddlemuffs. "

Twiddlemuffs

Last week we told you about the work Emma Probitts is doing to encourage people to knit and donate twiddlemuffs (sensory bands). If you can get involved, see the knitting pattern attached and please contact Emma Probitts on 01484 355948 or email emma.probitts@cht.nhs.uk 

Dementia awareness talk - Monday 23 May at HRI

The Alzheimer’s Society will be running an hour-long dementia friends session on Monday 23 May at 2pm in Meeting Room 2 at HRI.

The session is open to anyone to attend (it's not organised by CHFT) - please just come along - no need to book.