A bid by Yeovil Hospital Charity to offer creative activities such as music, art and gardening to older patients has triumphed in the National Lottery and ITV’s People’s Projects competition.
The bid, ‘Activities for older patients at Yeovil Hospital’, went head-to-head with four others in the region.
The hospital’s project offers older patients an array of creative activities, such as live music, art, gardening and movement and dance. In conjunction with existing activities, these activities will bring interest and variety to older patients’ days while in hospital and help to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness.
The project aims to transform people’s attitudes towards dementia, helping people relax and interact, with an emphasis on creativity. The project team will work with charities, community groups and care providers to bring people together from across the local community.
Some activities will also be accompanied by specialist input, such as an occupational therapist, showing patients how the activity can be tailored to provide maximum benefit, such as improving key skills like dexterity and coordination.
Helen Ryan, Director of Nursing at Yeovil Hospital, said of Yeovil’s success: “We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who voted for us and helped us to win this funding. These activities are vitally important in improving the experience of older people in hospital. For many, being in hospital can be lonely, and activities such as gardening and art bring people together, encouraging them to talk to each other and socialise.
“We are very lucky to have such a supportive community around us and are now looking forward to planning and launching the activities in earnest.”
Ends
Categorised in: Trust news and events
This post was written by Communications Team
Comments are closed here.