A FUNDRAISING drive for a new facility for patients with dementia at Dorset County Hospital is well underway.

The Dorset County Hospital Charity is leading efforts to raise around £57,000 to build a Reminiscence Room and reconfigure the Purbeck Ward to make it more welcoming for patients with dementia.

So far around £16,000 has already been secured through fundraising from ward staff, support from the Friends of Dorset County Hospital and other sources.

The hospital is now looking for a show of support from the local community to help push it nearer its fundraising goal.

The Reminiscence Room will be designed to transport dementia patients back to a time and environment in which they feel more comfortable and to stimulate memories.

A lounge area will also be introduced on the ward.

The Dorset County Hospital's head of fundraising Andrew House said: "The key thing for me is it's a project that is going to transform the ward in terms of the experience for somebody coming onto the ward with dementia.

"Hospital's are quite frightening places for anybody really but for patients with dementia it can be really frightening.

"By making the room very special in terms of its decor and making it old fashioned it will take people back in their memories to when they were younger and that's obviously where the strongest memories come from."

Mr House said one of the main reasons the charity was keen to support the fundraising drive was because of the enthusiasm for staff on the ward for the project.

They want to name it in memory of former colleague Mary Dale, who was a hugely popular nurse on the ward.

Mr House said: "The team on the ward are so committed, that's one of the reasons we felt we would like to get involved.

"They have been working on it for some time now."

Research has proven that the environment health care is provided in can aide recovery and well-being.

The staff have already done some work on the environment on the ward with coloured pictures to brighten it up and to help orientate patients.

The aim of the current project is to help re-orientate patients, keep them occupied during the day so that they will hopefully sleep better at night; to monitor more closely to prevent further falls; and to assist and encourage their fluid and dietary intake.

For more information on how to support the project visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/DementiaAppeal

The Purbeck Ward team are also selling raffle tickets on the ward and have received around 45 prizes from local businesses to support the appeal.

CONTACT ME

t: 01305 269801

e: harry.hogger

@dorsetecho.co.uk

twitter: @echodorch