“The best dementia care unit in the country”
New dementia unit for Norfolk is opened
By KIM BRISCOE
A £13m dementia intensive care unit has been given the seal of approval by patients, families and staff.
Hammerton Court, next to the Julian Hospital, in Colman Road, Norwich, has 36 bedrooms, has been purpose built for dementia care and represents the largest single investment in dementia care in Norfolk yet.
The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust building, which was officially opened by Jenny Lay, the lord mayor of Norwich, was named in the memory of the late Cressida Hammerton, who worked closely with the trust and dementia services in Norfolk following the death of her husband, Peter, who had the condition.
John Batt, who has had dementia for three years and lives in Beccles, read a poem he had written about the building at the opening.
Mr Batt said: “I think it’s beautiful and I fell in love with it when I first saw it.
“If I could get in here I would because it’s such a lovely place.”
Yoga can help Alzheimer carers cope
Yoga can help Alzheimer’s carers to cope better and improve their quality of life, according to new research.
[Posted: Wed 14/03/2012 www.irishhealth.com]
By Gillian Tsoi
Researchers in the US suggest that using yoga to engage in very brief, simple daily meditation can lead to improved brain power and lower levels of depression for caregivers.
The study, from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), looked at 49 caregivers from 45-91 years old who were taking care of their relatives with dementia.
Care homes ‘struggling to meet medical needs’
By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News
Care homes in England are increasingly struggling to meet the medical needs of their residents, research by the Royal College of Nursing suggests.
A lack of equipment, staff and training were identified as key problems by the online poll of nearly 600 nurses.
The RCN said the situation was being further compounded by the ageing population, which meant residents were developing ever more complex needs.
