Dementia appeal
Bringing comfort, calm and connection
Dementia appeal
Dementia is on the rise in Milton Keynes, with almost 3,000 local people living with a diagnosis, and many more still undiagnosed.
For people living with dementia whilst in hospital, emotional comfort, reassurance and connection are vital. Busy wards, unfamiliar surroundings and changing faces can quickly lead to fear, confusion, and distress. A hospital stay can be overwhelming and deeply unsettling.
Through our new Dementia Fund, we’ll offer a familiar song, a gentle conversation, or a simple activity to create special moments of calm.
One member of staff shared it perfectly: “Seeing a patient’s face light up when they colour, recognise a song, or connect with a memory… those moments stay with you.”
Your support can help us create more of these moments for people living with dementia, when they need them most.
Lead Dementia nurse Janet Page explains why dementia-friendly support matters.
Why dementia-friendly support matters
People with dementia are more likely to experience anxiety, agitation and fear during a hospital stay – which in some cases can lead to violence, aggression and deep upset for patients, their families and the staff caring for them.
With the right tools and environment, people with dementia can be offered reassurance and feel safe, seen and supported.
A donation to our Dementia Fund will help to:
- Encourage meaningful engagement and connection
- Reduce anxiety and agitation in hospital settings
- Spark recognition, conversation and memory
- Support families and carers during a difficult time
- Enable staff to deliver truly compassionate, person‑centred care.
These things aren’t luxuries. They’re essential to dignity, wellbeing and quality of care.
What your donation could help fund
With the launch of our dedicated Dementia Fund Appeal, every gift, no matter the size, helps us bring calm, comfort and connection to patients living with dementia.
We’re working with teams in the new MKUH Oak Wards, Ward 3, 19 and 23, where most of our patients with dementia are cared for.
Our lead dementia nurse, Janet Page, says: “This new fund will make a huge difference to our patients, many of whom will be in bed, with little or no distraction. Alongside our volunteers and staff, we can create comfort and distraction, enhancing the experience for patients, their families and staff on the wards too.”
Initially, we’re raising a total of £25,000, which will provide:
- Activity and colouring books that offer comfort and gentle engagement
- Puzzles and games to stimulate memory, conversation and cognitive function
- Dementia‑friendly clocks to reduce confusion and help patients stay oriented
- DVD players with familiar programmes that soothe anxiety and trigger memories
- Robotic pets that provide emotional reassurance and companionship
- Reminiscence books filled with familiar images and themes to spark conversation
- Bedside tablets with dementia‑friendly music, games and audiobooks
- Calming digital aquariums offering gentle sensory stimulation
- Dementia‑friendly spaces, including in our A&E, designed to reduce distress.
We’re also seeking support for additional therapeutic tools and activities, as well as outdoor memory walks, all shown to reduce anxiety and promote wellbeing.
By supporting our Dementia Appeal, you are helping to ensure that every patient feels valued, understood and cared for during one of the most vulnerable times in their life.
Please donate today and help us bring comfort and connection to patients living with dementia at Milton Keynes University Hospital. Together, we can make a difference
How your donations could help
- £20 could fund puzzles and games for patients and volunteers to work on together
- £50 could help pay for a specially designed activity box to provide stimulation for patients and reduce anxiety in hospital.
- £75 could help fund specialist staff training to further enhance how we can for patients at MKUH
- £100 could help fund creative arts on the wards, whether workshops, music and song.
- £500 could help pay for dementia-friendly wards and spaces within the hospital
