New dementia ‘village’ opens for 40 patients at Northampton mental health hospital

A new dementia ‘village’ has opened in the grounds of a mental health hospital to offer patients a place away from a hospital or nursing home environment.

Named the Lowther Hub, the area is part of St Andrew’s Hospital in Billing Road and features settings of a typical village.

The village can accommodate around 40 patients with complex dementia and Huntingdon’s disease and aims to normalise hospital care.

Dr Inga Stewart, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, said: “The physical environment for people living with dementia is often the silent partner in improving their engagement and overall quality of life.

“The new village at our Northampton hospital is fantastic, balancing patients’ safety and security, in a comfortable, homely and welcoming environment.

“This World Alzheimer’s Day, aside from talking about how important spaces are, we’re also trying to raise more awareness about how our communities can become more dementia friendly, to allow those with a diagnosis of dementia to live well.”

Based around a village theme, the new environment offers more than a hospital or a nursing home, instead featuring areas such as a village green where family and patients can meet and spend time together, a post office and pillar box, as well as a village hall which acts a social hub for meetings, activities and get-togethers.

The hospital has also incorporated visual clues into the building’s design, such as memory boxes, coloured doors and visual prompts, which aim to aid recognition and reduce confusion and frustration, as well as technology to keep the mind active during the day and restful at night.

Patients in the village will also benefit from reminiscence, arts and music sessions as well as gardening in the communal gardens.

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