‘Time warp room’ helps beat dementia

LONDON - A groundbreaking technique to treat dementia patients has been developed by a care home.

The technique, which includes a time warp room, has dramatically improved the health of dementia patients by reminding them of happier days.

Featuring a gramophone, wireless, Bakelite furniture and an old-fashioned typewriter, the room has a classic 1950s look.

Staffs at the care home, run by the Orders of St John Care Trust, have said that it helps to calm patients by transporting them back to “the good old days”.

And it has even led to a drop in the use of drugs used to treat the disease.

The room is the brainchild of Sue Linsley, manager of the Coombe End Court home in Marlborough, Wiltshire.

“The Reminiscence Room plays an important role in reducing the use of medication - it’s very, very effective,” the Sun quoted Linsley as saying.

“The aim of the room is to help dementia sufferers tap more easily into memories from their past, triggering more memories that can give them a grounding when they may be confused.

“The gramophone, the Bakelite telephone - the residents can remember these things.

“They evoke memories of happy times of bringing up children and it provokes conversation about the past.

“Our clients can come in and it calms them down. This unit proves that you don’t need to use anti-psychotics all the time.

“It’s a working room, not just for show. The staff use it as an integral part of their care,” Linsley added.

Among the objects collected were three flying ducks, a vacuum cleaner and even a post-war pram.

A 1950s-style office space equipped with a desk, manual typewriter and hat-stand followed, along with black and white photographs to trigger a trip down memory lane.

The home says their ground-breaking techniques are putting them ahead of Government calls to reduce the use of anti-psychotic drugs. (ANI)