Wakefield care home joins dementia-friendly scheme

A care home in Wakefield is the first in Yorkshire to sign up to a national initiative supporting people with dementia and their families.

The Sycamores on Norton Road, Eastmoor, has joined the John’s Campaign and has bought a ‘guest bed’ to make clear that families of those living with dementia are welcome to stay there.

John’s Campaign was set up in 2014 with the aim of providing additional support to those with a family member in hospital or a residential home. It focuses on the importance of family contact with no restrictions relating to working hours. To date more than 400 institutions, including Age UK and Alzheimer’s Society, have pledged their support.

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Sycamores manager Steve Hague said of the campaign: “We work closely with our local NHS community services and as soon as we were approached about the campaign following a hospital admission at Pinderfields of one of our residents, we felt compelled to join in and play our part.

“We are open and honest in everything we do, and we encourage feedback and interaction from both residents and their families in relation to care plans for each individual. It’s important that family have their input. We’ve purchased our first fold-away bed, with a view to providing support to any relative who wishes to stay.”

Anita Ruckledge, Dementia-lead nurse at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We’re really pleased to have introduced John’s Campaign to The Sycamores. Their adoption of the campaign is a great example of how an acute hospital and the private sector can work together with the shared vision of improving the experience for patients and their families.”