Following the success of the weekly memory café set up on the medical wards at West Cornwall Hospital three years ago, Kerensa Ward has welcomed the launch of a similar project for the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Truro.
With Kerensa Ward’s focus on caring for people with dementia and memory loss, the idea of the weekly reminiscence session is to aid communication and relaxation in the hospital environment which can be particularly disorientating for this group of patients.
Each Wednesday afternoon patients can "step back in time" playing board games they might remember from their childhood, watching old films and news reports, enjoying a sing song, or tucking into a traditional cuppa, cake or biscuits.
The sessions are supported by the RCH League of Friends volunteers who also have access to a "memory trolley" which can be taken round to other wards. They are students at Cornwall College for whom the hospital experience is complementary to their healthcare related studies. All have been through Dementia Friend training to give them confidence and an understanding of working with people with memory loss.
Chaplaincy and pastoral care assistant, Claire Burgess, who co-ordinates the volunteers, said: “A busy hospital ward can be a daunting place for someone with dementia. Relating to their past and getting patients to talk about their life memories can help them to be more settled and encourages communication. It is so rewarding to see an expressionless face come to life when they see or hear something they recognise.”
The memory café has been made possible through the support of the volunteers and a combination of funding from the RCHT Charity and Cornwall Rural Community Funding. The initial start-up cost was around £500 to buy games, activities and art materials, a DVD player and trolley and further funding has been given towards on-going costs.
If you would like to know more about supporting the project or the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Charity, visit rcht.nhs.uk, or call Jessica Silye, fundraising manager, on 01872 252858.
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