Bus stop boost for dementia ward at the Luton & Dunstable Hospital

Two bus companies have donated a special bus stop to patients on the dementia ward at Luton & Dunstable Hospital.

Ward 15, an elderly care and dementia specialist ward at the L&D, now has a bus stop installed by Arriva and Uno to help create a focal point and a familiar environment for patients, making it more ‘Dementia Friendly’.

Research shows that a familiar landmark can help calm a confused or disorientated patient and a bus stop is one of the most easily recognised landmarks to most.

The bus stop consists of a bus timetable and case and personalised bus sign which were donated by Arriva, as well as a larger personalised bus stop sign which was donated by Uno. A colourful backdrop was paid for by the hospital’s Dementia Charitable Fund.

Yvonne Weldon, Dementia Nurse Specialist, said: “We are extremely grateful to Arriva and Uno for their very generous donations – we now have a lovely welcoming area for patients to sit and relax on the ward. The familiar landmark of a bus stop can help some of our patients feel calmer and provides an interesting point for distraction and conversation.”

Senior Physiotherapist in Complex Medicine, Ruth Coleman, added: “With the renovation of Ward 15 following the first wave of the Covid pandemic, we were looking at ways to enhance dementia care and make the ward more ‘dementia friendly’. We want to make patients’ experience in hospital the best possible, and we thought creating a familiar environment which allows for social interaction and a calming atmosphere would really help.”

Ed Cameron, Commercial Manager at Uno bus, added: “We are delighted to have been able to help Ward 15 provide this new area for patients at Luton & Dunstable Hospital. For many people their local bus route not only connects them to shops and healthcare but is also somewhere they meet up with friends and make new ones. We hope the staff and patients of Ward 15 enjoy sitting in and enjoying the new space.”