As Dementia Action Week (September 16-22) approaches, a significant initiative at The Prince Charles Hospital highlights the importance of creating supportive environments for patients living with dementia.
Charlie’s Village, a unique village-like space within the hospital’s specialist dementia care unit, has been operational for nearly a year, thanks to the support of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation through its initiative, The Common Good.
Khera Kim, Nurse Practitioner for the Dementia and Delirium Service at The Prince Charles Hospital, said the new space had made a significant difference to patient wellbeing by fostering a positive interaction between patients and their families, individual patients, and patients and staff.
“Staff have used the space to help patients de-escalate their changed behaviours,” Khera said. “Patients with cognitive impairment, such as those living with dementia, can become easily agitated or upset, so the space is a good distraction and helps keep them calm and relaxed.
“Patients can also walk freely and staff can help them exercise social distancing if necessary. With communal living environments, where patients are admitted for a number of weeks, this ability to socially distance is important if a patient becomes unwell with a respiratory illness.”
Enhancing Dementia Care with Innovative Design at The Prince Charles Hospital
Charlie’s Village was designed in collaboration with frontline clinicians and geriatricians to create a homely and engaging environment for patients in the Cognitive Assessment and Management (CAM) unit. Located within the ward’s outdoor space, the Village features custom-built familiar facades such as a hair salon, bakery and café, general store, hotel and post office. These elements aim to foster a sense of community and independence for patients by providing engaging, familiar scenes that may trigger memories and feelings of nostalgia, encouraging conversations about life outside the hospital.
Khera said bringing patients into an environment that looked like a normal community could help them feel better about themselves and improve their quality of life.
“The staff unanimously agree that the Charlie’s Village design effectively supports individualised patient care, promotes meaningful relationships among patients and their families/loved ones and encourages social interaction among patients,” she said. “Additionally, the Village enables staff to deliver personalised care and develop customised care plans tailored to patients’ needs and preferences.”
The theme of this year’s Dementia Action Week is Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future. Get involved at Dementia Org.
To learn more about The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, visit The Common Good Org.
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