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Better care for patients with dementia โONE gentleman was very vocal, and we discovered he liked to sing. We bought CDs of his favourite music - Frank Sinatra and swing - and he would sing to his heartโs content. He didnโt have a bad voice either...โ The use of music is just one initiative helping older patients to cope with what can be a challenging and confusing experience. Dr Sue Hazel is the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch hospitalโs lead consultant in dementia care, the implementation lead for the National Dementia Strategy within the two hospitals. Sue says this strategy has been the catalyst for a range of change across the two hospitals, as well as at Poole Hospital, and has helped to create a new era of progressive and patientcentred care. โWe already work closely with our colleagues at Poole and the merger will give us an even more unified front,โ said Sue. โWe will have a greater impact in areas like ward environments, staff training and community involvement.โ At Poole Hospital, consultant geriatrician Dr Premila Fade highlights the flagship Lulworth ward, where changes to the ward environment have been used to support dementia patients. โWe improved the layout, colours and lighting to make the ward more welcoming,โ said Premila. โA hospital visit can be very confusing for patients
Dr Sue Hazel working with colleagues with dementia, and anything we can do to make the environment easier helps. โSince Lulworth was refurbished weโve been able to use the principles on other wards too.โ Memory clinics for older and frailer patients, specially trained dementia โchampionsโ, volunteer mealtime companions, unique patient โlife diariesโ to help a patientโs stay that much more individual and comforting - all these initiatives and more form part of the award-winning and innovative work in place at all three hospitals. โข Pooleโs dementia carers played a key role in developing the hospital-wide Human Touch campaign, with 10 golden rules advising all staff how best to ensure that patientsโ privacy and dignity is respected. โข As well as the Dementia Care Pathway guidelines, Bournemouth also has its own โtop tipsโ for nurses around carrying out personal care, nutrition and bedtime among others. โข Volunteer mealtime companions at both trusts โ as well as brightly-coloured cutlery and crockery โ help encourage patients to keep up their food intake as well as create a friendly mealtime experience.
Environment matters: Poole Hospitalโs Lulworth Ward has been redesigned to bene๏ฌt patients with dementia
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