In 2014 Age Exchange worked in partnership with Kings College NHS Foundation Trust and Bucks New University on a project designed to increase meaningful activity across the hospital

The ‘Delivering Dignity’ project funded by the Burdett Trust for Nursing aimed to:

• Enhance dignified, compassionate care for older people with dementia in hospital
• Empower staff to incorporate therapeutic activities into patient care
• Demonstrate the value on patient experience and outcomes

The Occupational Therapy-led, multidisciplinary project was aimed at working one to one with people who had dementia. We partnered with KCH to develop and deliver a bespoke therapeutic activities training program for staff alongside developing activity boxes for introduction in wards across the Trust. Bucks New University provided academic support for action learning and project evaluation.

The project completed in January 2015 with:

• Fifty seven members of staff and volunteers across Denmark Hill and Princess Royal Hospital sites trained and supported
• Activity boxes and resources introduced on eleven wards across both sites
• Positive training outcomes demonstrated, with 97% of participating staff meeting learning outcomes in delivering activities
• Staff empowerment demonstrated through personal and professional gains such as increased motivation and improved communication skills
• Patient experience explored, and further work identified to capture the value and outcomes for patients.