Blakenhall-by-the-Sea evokes happy memories
Released: 7 June 2007
The sights, sounds and even flavours of the seaside will be served up by staff at a council-run centre for older people with mental health needs in Wolverhampton.
Social care and health staff at Blakenhall Resource Centre are staging Blakenhall-by-the-Sea - a week-long series of activities in the day centre from Monday to Friday next week (June 11 to 15).
The centre has been festooned with home made palm trees, sandcastles, buckets and spades and other popular symbols of the seaside. Posters from Blackpool, Jersey and Weston-super-Mare will give the centre a real holiday feel and atmosphere.
Staff came up with the idea to help older people with mental health needs, including dementia, bring back the memories of happy summer holidays. Most of the decorations have been made from recyclable products by staff and service users at the centre.
Nurse Julie Rogers said: “People have really got into the spirit of Blakenhall-By-The-Sea. Hopefully it will evoke memories of the seaside for people here.
“People may have dementia but they still have a lot of potential. We have very able service users who have helped make the decorations like the palm trees from recyclable products and done shell collages.
“We have an average of around 25 people a day who use the day centre and we are hoping to start the fun each day at about 11am, stop for lunch then have further activities in the afternoon.
“We realise most of the service users can’t get to the sea, so we are bringing the seaside to them.”
The centre in Haggar Street, Blakenhall, provides day services, respite care, carer support and advice and information of various kinds.
It also provides long stay residential care for people who can no longer manage at home and offers a base for the Community Mental Health Team for Older People, which includes an old age psychiatrist, specialist nurses and social work support.
Issued by the press office.