In 2021, we applied for a grant through the Barclays 100 x 100 Community Fund, where we were awarded £100,000 for our fantastic new Dementia Care Project. In April 2022, we launched the project, which allowed the Hospice to begin providing specialist and essential care to patients diagnosed with dementia.
The Dementia Care Project allowed us to recruit Dementia Specialist Nurse, Margaret Diggle, who works across the Hospice, providing support to our clinical teams, and ensuring that we deliver the best care to patients and their families.
The Dementia Care Project is a specialist dementia care service that aims to raise the profile of dementia and recognise it as a palliative disease.
The service provides support to patients who have a confirmed diagnosis of dementia, and those important to them.
The service includes social stimulation, craft work, mindfulness, complementary therapies, and reiki and is constantly being developed in accordance with the latest proven research.
The Dementia Care Project is based around acknowledging life stories and histories; supporting and nurturing the interests patients had before their diagnosis.
Margaret Diggle
Dementia Specialist Nurse
A referral to the wellbeing groups can be made via a GP or healthcare professional.
On the last Friday of each month, we hold a drop-in session in our Springhill Suite; allowing carers who are supporting an individual with dementia, both formally and informally, to access information, knowledge and training opportunities, while ensuring they are also supported in a safe and welcoming environment.
These sessions can also be used as a tool to signpost to the relevant services, if appropriate.
We have a rolling programme for all Hospice staff, which educates on the nature of dementia and the behaviours that can challenge services. Over half of the staff at Springhill Hospice have already accessed the training so far and have been positively evaluated.
An exciting upcoming project that we are currently working on is the Dementia Care Garden. Based on research from Sterling University, outdoor spaces have a proven positive impact on all individuals. Therefore, we believe that a dementia-friendly outdoor space will be highly beneficial to supporting our Dementia Care Project as a whole.
The Dementia Garden will have a multitude of varying activities that everyone can enjoy and benefit from, incorporating features that help us to utilise all our senses.
The garden will be available Hospice wide, and we hope to see a positive impact on everyone’s emotional and mental wellbeing.
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