Forget Me Not Campaign

At Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust we selected the care of patients with dementia as an area of focus for the Trust in 2013/2014 with the specific aim of promoting the development of a culture within the organisation where everyone will be able to recognise and help patients with dementia.

Our Dementia Steering Team dedicated themselves to providing the best possible care for patients with dementia. The team recognised the importance of ensuring that our environment is ‘dementia friendly’ we used the Kings Fund Toolkits to review how ‘dementia friendly’ our wards are. With funding supplied from a successful bid to the Kings Fund in April 2013, we have opened our new “Forget me not ward” on May 2014 and the following image shows our new unit before the patients arrived.

Environment Matters at Warrington & Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The team dedicated themselves to ensuring our patients with dementia are warm, fed and well cared for in the right environment. One part of our dementia strategy was to develop ways in which we can eradicate the agitation and distress that often comes with dementia, and as a result in 2013 we launched our Forget Me Not Campaign.

Forget Me Not CampaignThis campaign has successfully raised awareness of patients with dementia, and cognitive impairment. We launched the use of the Forget Me Not Flower symbol behind the patient’s bed. The symbol reminds our staff that the patient either has a diagnosis of dementia or has cognitive impairment and that they should ensure that their approaches to the patient are appropriate. This is accompanied by information to staff, carers and families

about what this means for the patient.

A programme of events, the “Forget Me Not Events”, provide focussed activities within ward areas aimed at providing stimulation, diversion and helping to reduce the agitation and loneliness that so often accompanies dementia.

Let’s get Creative “Forget Me Not” muffs (Fiddle-muffs)

The wards have a suite of activities, including games, memory boxes, and other products aimed at keeping hands busy and stimulating the mind. This programme also includes musical events, and will be developed to include other activities such as poetry recitals. So far this year our wards have been visited by a string quartet, a choir, an a capella group and a ukulele band where patients and their relatives enjoyed a positive and stimulating social experience over tea and cakes with our staff.

Why Fiddle-Muffs?

Fiddle-muffs are a knitted hand muff with interesting bits and bobs attached. They have been designed and developed to provide simple stimulation for active hands while promoting increased flexibility and brain stimulation. Many patients with Alzheimer’s’ arthritis and dementia have found the Fiddle-muff reassuring and comforting and therapeutic.

Involving the Community and Staff

How did it start?

The Director of Nursing (Karen Dawber) and Deputy Director of Nursing (Alison Lynch) were chatting about what they could do to help occupy patients with dementia, they were acutely aware of the need to help stimulate and engage patients with dementia but equipment available for this purpose was very expensive.

The next day the Director of Nursing brought in a knitting pattern that her mum had developed to create a fiddle-muff. The Deputy Directors mum knitted one and the rest is history.

We now have community knitting groups who make “Forget Me Not” muffs (fiddle muffs) to help keep hands busy and reduce anxiety.

Wired Carers Knitting Group

Advert which appeared in ‘Lets get crafty’ appealing for knitters.

Our Directors’ Mum’s knitting

Let’s get busy on the ward – Fiddle-muffs made by patients on the ward

A chance conversation and a passion for providing excellent patient care were the catalyst for an initiative which has made a difference to the quality of patient care provided at Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Identified wards also have rummage boxes, activity boards, and games to help reduce the symptoms associated with dementia and cognitive impairment.

The trust has also promoted the use of “Forget Me Not” silicone wristbands for patients, carers, staff and families to raise awareness of dementia and cognitive impairment. We monitor the movement of patients with dementia, and put in place actions to restrict moves that are not in their best interest. We are currently auditing a sample group of patients with a diagnosis of dementia or confused state who were readmitted to our hospital within 30 days of their discharge to see what improvements we can make to ensure that they are supported to stay at home as far as possible.

Training programme for the staff

A dementia training programme for staff is vital to ensuring the delivery of high quality care. The trust has purchased two courses from an external training company who work in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Society in the development and delivery of dementia training. These workshops specifically designed to support the Dementia Champion role provide a person centred approach to dementia care offering support that reflects individual needs. We also provide a one day workshop called “Supporting the Dementia Patient Journey” which is aimed at all staff groups who come into contact with patients that have dementia. The course provides

training around a number of areas including definitions of dementia; an understanding of how people with dementia communicate; a virtual dementia tour – a practical exercise exploring the effects of dementia; on line dementia café; maintaining skills – how to promote independence and supporting relationships – how to support people with dementia & their carers.

Our Specialist Nurse for Older People has produced a suite of care plans for patients with dementia, delirium or cognitive impairment and we are reviewing our “Dementia Awareness Packs” for the ward and department areas. From April we will be rolling out dementia e-learning and training materials for all staff and we will hold a dementia exhibition on a regular basis to promote the ward and a greater awareness of dementia.

We are proud of our achievements in developing a culture whereby all staff will be able to recognise and help a patient with dementia and in the summer 2014 the trust will hold a Dementia Conference to celebrate and share the innovatory work that has taken place.