Something fishy going on! Dementia focused ward welcomes latest innovation
A new digital aquarium has been unveiled on Ward C2 at St Helier Hospital, the latest in a long line of features introduced to help improve the experience of people living with dementia.
Chief Financial Officer Rakesh Patel who was on-hand to officially unveil the aquarium, said: “I am really pleased to unveil the latest piece of therapeutic equipment for Ward C2. A significant amount of work has gone into developing Ward C2 as our first ward with a focus on caring for people living with dementia.
“If you look around, you can see lots of signs that there is something different – and special – about the ward. Whether it’s the dementia friendly colours, the pictures of scenes from nature, the bespoke reminiscence area or the regular afternoon tea parties, C2 has been designed to help people with dementia feel less disorientated or confused, and create an environment which supports more personal care.
“That’s why the digital aquarium is an ideal addition to Ward C2 – the therapeutic values of watching fish swimming in a tank are well documented. The sounds, the colours and the gentle movement of the fish are extremely calming, making a digital aquarium ideal for dementia friendly environments.”
Alongside the unveiling of the aquarium, which was purchased using funding dedicated to the development of C2, the ward also played host to an afternoon tea party for patients and their loved ones, and a special musical performance from members of the charity Musical in Hospitals.
Rakesh added: “Congratulations to everybody involved in the development of Ward C2, and thank you to Deputy Chief Nurse Carole Webster, Older Persons Pathway Lead Debi Miller, and Ward Manager Beala Benjamin and the ward team for their ongoing hard work.”
