December 7, 2021 6.00 am This story is over 27 months old

Generous donations of Dementia distraction boxes at Lincolnshire hospitals

Designed to help dementia patients with communication
Dementia practitioners Sophie Brown (left) and Naz Fernandes (right) with the dementia distraction boxes at Lincoln and Boston hospitals respectively. | Photo: ULHT
By Local Democracy Reporter

Hospital staff in Lincoln and Boston have received special boxes to help keep dementia patients’ minds active and distract them from the unsettling nature of health centres.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has teamed up with local charities to create something called dementia distraction boxes, which contain everything from picture boards, themed quizzes, conversation starters, colouring books and playing cards.

The intention of them is to provide useful aids and interactive resources for dementia patients at Lincoln County and Boston Pilgrim Hospitals, distracting them from the confused state they can often be in as a result of their condition.

Naz Fernandes, dementia practitioner at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston. | Photo: ULHT

The response to the boxes has already been positive, and dementia practitioner Naz Fernandes finds them really useful when treating his patients in Boston.

He said: “The games are a great way to start a conversation and to distract our patients with dementia when they may be confused or agitated.

“The purses and pretend money also give many patients reassurance and a source of comfort that they are able to pay for their care, even though we know that it is free.”

Sophie Brown is a dementia practitioner at Lincoln County Hospital. | Photo: ULHT

Dementia practitioner at Lincoln County Hospital, Sophie Brown, added: “A massive thank you to the Friends of Lincoln County Hospital and the ULHT Charity who have funded these boxes. Handmade twiddle muffs, comfort hearts and teddies have also been donated by the heart2heart Facebook group who we cannot thank enough.”

“These boxes are already making a really big difference. They give our ward teams some really useful resources that may be reassuring or familiar to our patients with dementia while they are in our hospitals. They have been delivered to the wards and are being used all of the time.”