5th Jul, 2018

Kimberley Ward Day Room Opens

Following the success of the work on the Holt Day Room, work has now been completed on the Kimberley Ward Day Room and it is now open for patient use.  The Kimberley Ward comes under the umbrella of Older Person's Medicine at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, caring for patients that are elderly or in some way frail or unwell as a result.  The day room was created with this in mind, as well as all the recent research on dementia care and 'reminiscence therapy'. 

The day room provides a tranquil space away from the main hospital clinical environment, and patients can either go there for more social activities, or simply as somewhere to sit and be quiet with their thoughts.   Some of the familiar home comforts the room provides are a TV, films, music, games, a space to eat lunch or breakfast.  The wallpaper and design of the room and its furnishings was done very much with a theme of the 1950s in mind.  That way, it is hoped patients can find a kind of therapy in 'reminiscence', recalling times of their life which are remembered as significant or meaningful.   'Memory rooms' have been tried here at the Nofolk and Norwich University Hospital, but also at hospitals in Grantham and Wales, and now represent the new and changing face of dementia medicine where the strengths and abilities of each patient are focused on and maximised.  The feedback from such an approach has always been positive, and patients grow to love a room that is presented on a different therapeutic time scale.

The new design of the Kimberley Ward Day Room was created by Accent Design in Norwich.  Mark Scott designed the colour adaptations and Sally Andrews sourced the furniture.  The funding for the project was provided by the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital Charity and from dontations made by members of the public living in the Norfolk and Norwich area, and are supportive of our hospital charity's work.