A HOSPITAL is looking for volunteers to join a dedicated team which looks after people with dementia.

Royal Bournemouth Hospital cares for around 2,600 people with the condition on an annual basis across six wards and currently has one person who gives up their time voluntarily to care for them.

Volunteers are asked to give up a minimum of three hours of their time each week and will be given training to equip them with the skills to deal with the challenges of working with patients with dementia.

Dorothy Rochester, dementia volunteer and a former nurse who practised in older peoples’ medicine, said: “The work I do makes such a difference to the individuals I spend time with.

"We might discuss happy times from their long-term memory, spend time on crafts they enjoy or simply be in each other’s company.

"The important thing is that I’m there as dementia patients don’t like being alone. In spending time with patients, I’m also freeing up nurses' time so they can be with other patients.

"I know that I’m helping both the patients and the staff but I get so much back from the experience too. I learn from the people I spend time with and I always come back on a high every time."

Kelly Lockyer, dementia nurse specialist at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, said that patients with the condition often stay in hospital for long periods of time, many of whom do not have friends and family who visit them.

She says that this, combined with the fact that being alone can amplify the risk of becoming frustrated, anxious and aggressive, highlights the importance of the work of dementia volunteers and the need to recruit more.

Kelly said: "Dorothy is an invaluable asset to our team, freeing up a considerable amount of our time and lifting the spirits of our patients.

"We’d love to recruit more volunteers like Dorothy so all patients with dementia can benefit from the company and interaction they can offer.

“The patients have a number of resources at their disposal, including games, books, colouring, painting and jigsaws, so it would be good to see more patients benefit from the mental stimulation that these activities offer."

For more information, go to Rbch.nhs.uk, email Proudto.volunteer@rbch.nhs.uk or call 01202 704690.