Library
& Knowledge Service
Dementia Resources
Dementia resources help to make communication easier, reduce boredom, encourage reminiscence, provide an enjoyable activity and work as a pleasurable distraction.
Activities to Share
These activity equipment resources are designed to promote therapeutic engagement with our patients who have varying degrees of cognitive impairment.
Using activity, as a form of therapy, can enable health care staff, patients and their family/carers to feel more involved and it can help to alleviate distress caused by unfamiliarity.
These resources have been carefully selected to enable health care staff to actively engage with patients and their relatives, triggering treasured memories and encouraging reminiscence. The collection includes construction kits, toolboxes, reminiscence kits, wooden threading boards, jigsaws and large picture books.
These resources can be loaned out to wards and should be cleaned and returned to the library when finished with.
Audio
We have a collection of audiobooks, CD's and portable CD players.
The CD collection covers artists like The Beatles, Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Doris Day and many more. These resources can be loaned out to wards and should be cleaned and returned to the library when finished with.
Recreational and Comfort Aids
We have a collection of dominoe’s , playing cards, soft toys and dolls all free to give out to patients.
There is also a small collection of adult colouring books, pencils, word searches, crosswords and sudokus.
We are lucky to have some volunteer knitters, who kindly make beautiful twiddlemitts, for us to pass on to patients.
These items are all ‘one use only’ and should not be returned to the library.
RITA
There are now five RITA (Reminiscence Interactive Therapy Activities) machines in our Trust for patients to interact with. The therapy software on the machines is aimed primarily at patients with dementia but can also be used as a distraction therapy for stroke patients and patients with autism. It is aimed to reduce agitation and isolation in hospital by offering a means of distraction in the form of meaningful activities.
The five machines are kept in the locations below, but can be used in any area of the hospital:
Ashover
Emergency Department
Palliative Care
Robinson
Durrant
Ethnically Diverse Resources
The Alzheimer's Society has developed an information programme for South Asian Families to provide effective support and information to people with dementia. The film is available in Urdu, Hindi, English and Hindi with English subtitles.
They also publish real life stories in the 'Dementia Together’ magazine. The stories cover topics on how people have adapted to the impact of dementia & caring for a loved one with dementia.
Complex Care Team
The Complex Care Team supports all patients with complex needs which can include dementia, delirium and other issues.
They offer education, advice and support to any patients, carers and ward staff aiming to provide person centred gold standard care.
If ward teams want to refer patients to the Complex Care Team, staff can do that via the Care flow Connect System or for general advice they can contact them on 07901210181