Patients and their families can now access additional support, social interaction, and activities at the newly opened cafe at Walsall Manor Hospital. The facility, located on the Sister Dora Suite, will be held every Wednesday from 2pm to 3pm, providing a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment.
The cafe, supplied with traditional afternoon tea and hot drinks by Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s catering department, aims to reduce isolation and enhance wellbeing. Stacy Jordan, Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Complex Dementia and Delirium Team, stated that the initiative will help reduce frustration and deconditioning through activities and positive stimulation, aligning with the Trust’s Eat Drink Dress Move to Improve initiative.
This scheme is a collaborative effort between Walsall Manor Hospital staff, the Catering Team, GreenSquareAccord (GSA), and the Trust’s Well Wishers charity. On the fourth Wednesday of each month, a dedicated Family and Carer Drop-in Dementia Café will offer further support, advice, and signposting for carers through a Dementia Carers Together approach.
Ms. Jordan added, “Living with dementia can be challenging, both for patients and for those who care for them. Our new dementia café will provide a welcoming space where people can connect with others, access support and enjoy meaningful activities together. By working alongside our partners at GreenSquareAccord, Well Wishers and the Catering Team, we hope to create positive experiences that support wellbeing and help reduce feelings of isolation.”
Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager, commented, “Hospital can be an unfamiliar and overwhelming environment for patients living with dementia and their families. These sessions will provide a warm, welcoming space where patients and loved ones can spend quality time together and enjoy activities away from the ward environment.”
