DEMENTIA patients at Tunbridge Wells Hospital could soon be enjoying regular ‘café dates’ following the success of a pop-up event held in one of the wards recently.
Funded and organised by the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) Charity, the first ‘dementia café’ was held on Valentine’s Day. The aim was to offer patients the treat of tea and cake in safe, familiar surroundings. There was also a special music playlist provided by Hospital Radio.
Dementia organisations often recommend ‘sensory activities’ to help patients connect with other people and their surroundings through sight, touch, smell, hearing or taste.
Research has shown that music can help people recall memories due to the nature of preserved memory for song and music in the brain. It has been proved that musical memory is often retained when other memories are lost.
A hospital spokesperson said: “Following this first successful event, we are hoping to hold them more regularly in future.”
