A Bognor day centre is using a novel strategy to improve the wellbeing of their customers with dementia – a reminiscence bus stop.
The new bus stop, which was opened yesterday (Thursday) at The Chestnuts day centre, is a replica of a standard stop from the 1960s and 1970s, but buses never stop there.
The idea for the stop, situated within the garden, is to enable customers to reminiscence about the days when buses were more popular than cars and people had time to chat at bus stops.
Managers at the day centre joined forces with Stagecoach which donated a bus stop and a timetable board free of charge.
Community volunteers, led by the Darren Rolfe, who works at West Sussex County Council as a Solutions Officer for Community Projects, installed the bus stop and created a planting display around it.
The bus stop has been named ‘Jack’s Stop’ in memory of a former customer, Jack Trent, who attended the centre for several years. Mr Trent’s family attended the opening.
John Whitmarsh, 89, one of the centre’s customers, said: “I think it’s marvellous. They have done a really good job. I will enjoy sitting in it on sunny days like today.”
Peter Catchpole, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, said: “We hope the bus stop will have a positive effect for many of our customers at The Chestnuts, and hopefully help to improve their quality of life.
“It is a lovely concept that if customers are sat at the bus stop staff can use it as an ice breaker and sit and talk to them.
“We would like to thank Stagecoach for their kind donation of the bus stop and timetable and to all the wonderful volunteers and staff at The Chestnuts, including Teri, who helped make this project come alive.”
Mark Turner, Commercial Director Stagecoach South, said: “We were delighted when Chestnuts approached us about this project and very happy to support them. We recognise the importance of the work that Chestnuts do and the benefits that such therapy brings to their clients.”
The bus stop is one of many reminiscing tools that have been used at the centre including a 1970s-themed living and dining room, a nail bar, library garden room and ‘men’s shed’ area.
The reminiscence bus stop was inspired by a Dutch dementia village which has shops and a post office in one complex.
There are currently around 14,000 people living with dementia in West Sussex and this figure is expected to rise by 14 per cent by 2017.
Photo: Peter Catchpole, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, sit in the new bus shelter with Chestnuts day centre customer John Whitmarsh and centre Assistant Manager Teri Humphrey.
