A hospital volunteer scheme set up to help support patients with dementia has proved an overwhelming success.
Writing for Cumbria Crack, Carl Fallowfield celebrates the success of the service which, set up last year, now has a waiting list of supporters ready to help.
In August last year, the Royal Voluntary Service donated £127,000 to launch a volunteers’ programme in partnership with University Hospital of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT).
The first volunteer started at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary in May and such has been the success of the programme that there is now a waiting list.
Volunteers will provide care to help in-patients with activities to trigger happy memories, as well as provide companionship and read to them.
Louisa Balderson, Service Manager for the Royal Voluntary Service RLI on-ward scheme, said: “We were pleasantly surprised by the number of applicants. They will be making a real difference to those with dementia in hospital.
“Hospital is a scary place for most people and can be distressing for people with dementia. The dementia buddy volunteers will provide a friendly and welcoming presence and provide support that will ease their confusion to hopefully make their stay in hospital more comfortable.
Dianne Smith, Dementia Matron for UHMBT, said: “UHMBT always aims to provide person centred care for people with dementia and delirium. Knowing the persons’ needs and providing appropriate support for them is essential to deliver that person centred care.
“The volunteer scheme will help enable comfort and familiarity of reminiscence for patients together with social interaction and wellbeing within the clinical environment. It’s great to hear about this overwhelming success during Volunteers Week.”
Article originally published in Cumbria Crack
