A SPECIALIST team that cares for patients in hospital living with dementia across north Hampshire are the focus of an upcoming series of talks.

The range of dementia services offered by the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for patients in hospital, families and carers, as well as the ways the team help to keep the patients motivated, will be the subject of the next health focus talk, which will take place on Tuesday, 14 May.

The dementia team have set up a range of activities, such as lunch clubs and visits from a magician, to help support patients.

At Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital, dementia nurse specialist Jemi Abdul-Salam came up with the idea of the lunch club, with the help of clinical support worker Jo Colston, after they found that elderly patients and those living with dementia often struggle at meal times.

The dementia team also support patients in hospital living with dementia and their families through the Carer’s Café, which takes place monthly.

Experts are on hand to answer any questions or provide support, as well as meet other carers in similar situations.

Health focus talks are free and an opportunity for patients and the public to hear hospital experts talk about their specialist area of health, meet the trust’s management team and ask questions.

This event takes place at Thornden School, in Chandler’s Ford, from 6.30pm.