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We are delighted to announce the launch of Sevenoaks new look tea room and emporium both designed in a dementia friendly way.
Where the transformation began
Sevenoaks Emporium was a day room that was cluttered with books and leaflet holders, with a TV but no seating, an area that was rarely used by patients. When Grahame Hardy, Specialist Nurse for Dementia Dream saw the area, he wanted to transform the space into a welcoming place for patients during their stay. He wanted the space to be somewhere away from the bed area where visitors could meet patients and an area that staff could better use to promote wellbeing and rehabilitation.
Find Memory Care had previously worked with Kent Community Healthcare NHS Trust supplying various products, bespoke signage, and orientation boards to help make their wards and outpatient areas dementia friendly, and where Find originally met Grahame.
Always looking for the next challenge, Grahame approached Karen at Find, with news that a local Tea Shop, had donated furniture, including an old-fashioned serving counter, crockery, and a range of other lovely items to the hospital, and this is where the Sevenoaks Emporium was born.
After successfully getting funding from the council, and Ian Philips, from the Chair of the League of Friend’s, the project got underway.
How the Emporium came to life…
The first change was in the corridor to make everyone aware of the new room. A mural was installed across the outside of the new room, linking it to the existing bus stop along with shop canopies and a flag sign to help people locate it from down the corridor.
Not all about murals, Find were asked to manufacture bespoke furniture to create a shopping experience. A lockable wall-mounted cupboard, with safe polycarbonate doors and sweet jars with bespoke labelling, were two products manufactured and supplied by Find.
The old-fashioned serving counter needed extending and making secure. This was made safe for use, again by replacing the glass doors and shelving with polycarbonate alternatives and adding a fixed side and a drop-down countertop with additional front to extend the serving counter and prevent patients from accessing behind the counter. The old-fashioned till, weighing sales and a traditional bell were placed on the counter, the jars were filled with sweets and the shop was ready for use.
To compliment the sweet shop and add to the experiences of patients, a market barrow was installed and as you can see from the photograph, it is used as a fruit stall. The mural used in this room was simply on the windows – an outdoor scene to improve on the roof top view and a visual behind the market stall to complete the area. Residents can take the fruit throughout the day, but this can also be used with staff to make favourite smoothies.
One final addition from Find was the wall baskets. Usually fixed to the wall, Grahame wanted these to be removable and used for activities at the table when required. Most of the time, they are on the wall and add interest to the shop. Along with a smaller bookcase and shelf over the existing radiator, this area has been transformed into a brilliant interactive space suitable for everyone.
Laura Trott MBE MP – Member of Parliament for Sevenoaks and Swanley visited Sevenoaks Community Hospital and was impressed. Upon entering the new Sevenoaks Emporium, Laura stated ‘I’ve never seen anything quite like this’
The Opening
The Sevenoaks Emporium was opened by the Chair of the Sevenoaks District Council and the Chief Executive of the Trust, along with Ian Phillips, the Chair of the Sevenoaks League of Friends on Friday 23rd September 2022
The League of Friends Tea Room (also opened on the same day)
The tearoom is located in one of two entrances to the outpatients building at Sevenoaks Hospital and is the only one across both buildings to offer refreshments to visitors. Ian Phillips, Chair of Sevenoaks Hospital League of Friends was keen to raise their profile and attract more visitors but wanted to do so in a dementia-friendly way that encouraged everyone to use it and feel safe and comfortable.
As with the Sevenoaks Emporium, the first stage was to attract visitors by making the outside of the room attractive and welcoming.
From outside the building, the Tea Room was not obvious, so window vinyl’s were applied to the lower glass panels to increase visibility to visitors arriving from the car park and from the building on the opposite side of the road. The vinyl’s also added to the Tea Room inside as incorporated the same design as the serving counter but also added some privacy from people passing by.
What a wonderful transformation and timed to perfection with the reopening of the Tea Room following it’s closure due to Covid-19.
The final finishing touch was to create Welcome Boards with menu inserts that were placed around both buildings in the waiting areas to inform patients and visitors of where to find them.
Find would like to thank the wonderful people at Sevenoaks Hospital, in particular Grahame Hardy and Ian Phillips, without whom neither transformation could have happened.
If you would like to talk to us about your care environment please get in touch
Find Memory Care
3 Modder Avenue
Armley
Leeds
LS12 3DB
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