Psychologists want to provide more social stimulation for Wiltshire's older patients

6:00pm Saturday 25th January 2014 in News

Psychologists are expanding a programme to help provide social stimulation for older patients

Psychologists are expanding a programme to help provide social stimulation for older patients in Salisbury District Hospital and need more volunteers.

The project involves volunteers visiting patients on wards and sitting and talking to them, using techniques such as quizzes, discussion groups and memory games.

It began two years ago and initially had five volunteers on two wards. Now there are between 60 and 70 volunteers working on 12 wards.

Volunteers get training in areas such as dementia, communication and depression.

The hospital’s psychology coordinator, Tora Mathias-Jones, said: “All our volunteers find the work that they are doing with older patients very rewarding and this really is a marvellous opportunity for people who are interested in working with us to find out more about how they could help our patients.”

Information sessions are on February 5, 10am to noon, and February 7, 2pm to 4pm. Contact Tora on (01722) 425105 or engage@salisbury.nhs.uk

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