Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Medicine for Older People, Rehabilitation and Stroke

A Dementia Friendly Environment

A presentation by

Carol Burrows and Emma Brown

Medicine for Older People | Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Background

F4 Life cycle works

Opportunity to make meaningful changes

•Kings Fund - “ideas that change healthcare”• more supportive care environment• ease distress• reduce agitation• encourage independence and• promote safety

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Where we were

We had

• Identical bed bays• Poor acoustics (sounds appeared louder because of thin

ceiling tiles)• Wide corridors – no handrails• Harsh lighting• Shiny hard flooring• Poor signage

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

What We Changed

We introduced

•Colour coded rooms•Red toilet seats•New ceiling tiles with sound proofing •Coloured handrails •Improved lighting with dimmer switches and an even distribution of light•Cushion flooring (wood effect) to all patient rooms•New signage – large bold lettering

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

What We Changed

Visual Prompts

• All exit doors, emergency exits and offices were painted white to blend in with surrounding walls

• All patient friendly areas for example bathrooms were painted blue

• Three point reference to each bed space• Date and time clocks in all rooms• Signs in rooms stating ward and hospital

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Outcomes

Ideas that changed healthcare

•The simple interventions on F4 made a real difference to the environment.•A dementia capital bid was placed with the DoH in 2013 to replicate this work on other acute wards in MOPRS.•We received a grant of £465,000 for works to be completed on F4 and rolled out to G2, G3 and G4•Work now complete

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Outcomes

Memory Lane

•Provides a calming environment for patients who struggle with anxiety, agitation and need some time away from the clinical area.•Portsmouth University and City Museum have supported this by providing us with stimulating artefacts, artwork and decoration ideas.

•Large flat screen TV to be used for DVDs, photos and music.

Medicine for Older People – Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

Questions?