The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust (QEH) has launched a new fundraising Appeal to improve the experience of its patients living with Dementia.
The Dementia Care Appeal has a target of £40,000 to purchase equipment and activities to improve the experience of patients living with Dementia.
The Trust hopes to raise enough funds to upgrade its Reminiscence Interactive Therapy and Activities (RITA) devices and purchase new systems. The devices enable staff and volunteers to engage patients in activities to make them feel more at ease during their hospital stay. The large 24” touch screen enables staff to connect patients with activities such as listening to music and poetry and taking part in interactive games which help to trigger conversations and memories which in turn improves their health and wellbeing.
Funding will enable the purchase of a number of hand-picked activity packs from specialist provider Relish, including games, reminiscence cards and jigsaw puzzles. The packs are designed to entertain, boost independence and support changing abilities.
With the support of the Appeal, the Trust also hopes to purchase 25 Dementia-friendly calendar clocks for each bay of the hospital’s 18 wards. The calendar clocks can reduce confusion and support patients living with dementia to easily access to the day, date and time.
Individuals and organisations are invited to sponsor specific items of their choice, by contacting the Trust’s Fundraising team on 01553 613373 or laurence.morlaas@qehkl.nhs.uk.
The Appeal has been backed by corporate sponsor Kenneth Bush Solicitors in King’s Lynn, as well as media supporters Radio West Norfolk and Your Local Paper.
Dr James Casson, Clinical Director for Integrated Care of the Older Person at QEH said: “A hospital stay can feel daunting at the best of times, but for our patients living with Dementia there are additional challenges. We want every one of our patients to have the best possible experience at QEH and I’m really pleased that our latest Appeal will support us to strengthen our services for patients living with Dementia. The equipment and activities we are hoping to purchase will make a positive difference to the wellbeing of our patients, which in turn improves physical health outcomes too.”
Whilst the Appeal recognises that patients of all ages can experience Dementia, it also echoes the Trust’s Corporate and Clinical strategies which outline its ambition to become a leader in caring for the elderly, with the prediction that by 2030 there will be 57,000 more people aged over 75 than there were in 2015.
Alice Webster, Chief Nurse at QEH, said: “We are extremely grateful to have a fantastic local community who have supported our previous fundraising appeals which have enabled us to make significant improvements at QEH. We are hoping that once again our local businesses and communities will back our Dementia Care Appeal and enable us to purchase this specialist equipment which will really make a difference to the care and wellbeing of our patients living with Dementia. No donation is too small.”
To donate to the Dementia Care Appeal, visit justgiving.com/campaign/QEHDementiaCareAppeal or send a cheque payable to ‘Dementia Care Appeal’, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn, Gayton Road, King’s Lynn, PE30 4ET.
For further information, to sponsor specific items or support with fundraising activities, please contact QEH Fundraising Executive Laurence Morlaàs on 01553 613373 or laurence.morlaas@qehkl.nhs.uk.
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To arrange media interviews or for further information, please contact Sophie Goodwin, Acting Communications and Engagement Manager, CommunicationsQEH@qehkl.nhs.uk or 01553 613 216.
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