Elderly Care patients at West Cumberland Hospital (WCH) are set to benefit from phase two of the redevelopment, as the Care of the Elderly unit will move into the new build in 2024.
The new facilities are part of a wider £40m cash injection to deliver modern day services to the people of west Cumbria and beyond. The Care of the Elderly unit will deliver care for the elderly including those with dementia and those who are acutely frail.
The new ward boasts six four-bedded bays, eight side rooms with dedicated en-suite facilities in each. There will also be a quiet room, for families and staff to use as well as a day room where patients can gather and interact with one another if they choose to.
There has been a great deal of care and thought gone into how the ward has been built so that it best suits the needs of our patients.
Matron for the ward, Christine Musgrave said:
“The new ward has been specifically designed with patients at the heart, we know some patients want the privacy and space of a single bedroom however after talking with patients we now know many of them crave social interaction and the company of others. We initially thought we might have all single rooms, however we changed this to suit the needs of the patients, having company makes their stay much more comfortable.”
The design of the ward has been a real collaboration between staff and the patients. The ward will be a dementia friendly space, with the colours and lay out carefully chosen with dementia patients in mind.
Our dementia specialist Admiral Nurse, Tracy Bowman said:
“We’ve worked hard to ensure the new ward will be dementia friendly. Colour and pattern play a huge role in helping dementia patients and we will be utilising these to their full effect. Patients who may walk away from their beds can navigate back much more easily if they can recall a certain colour or image. The floors are matt vinyl because shiny floors are known to confuse and disorientate dementia patients.”
The staff on the ward will also benefit from a new staff room and office space and dedicated storage space, something which is lacking on the current ward.
Christine added: "Most of us have a loved one, or know of someone who’s elderly and want that person to receive the best care possible. More and more of us are living longer lives which can mean we need more care during our later years, it can also lead to complex long-term conditions, so we’re proud to say the new ward will provide the very best facilities and care to ensure that our patients here are as comfortable as possible whilst also giving our patients the best opportunity to live as independently as possible.”
Sister for Elderly Care Deborah Evans said:
“It is great to see the investment into Elderly Care and the team are feeling eager to care for our patients in a modern and purpose-built environment. We come to work to do our best for our patients and these facilities will play a big part in helping us achieve that.”
The Service
We provide comprehensive care for elderly patients – covering their medical, social and emotional needs. We are made up of a multidisciplinary team, who work together to provide the right kind of care.
The team works in close collaboration with community, mental health and social services to ensure that care is provided in an integrated and seamless fashion.
We provide inpatient services including acute medical care, rehabilitation, memory services and outpatient services, including general medical clinics for older people, memory clinics and falls assessment clinics.
Our staff care passionately about improving the quality of life for our elderly patients so that they can live as independently as possible, with fast access to all of the support that they need.
The team is made up of:
- Doctors
- Matron
- Admiral Nurse
- Nurses
- Health Care Assistants
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational therapist
- Dieticians
- Psychologists
- Speech and language therapists