Every year our work supports thousands of older people and people with dementia in wards across Salisbury Hospital and helps them stay active, cope with being in hospital and prepare for going home.
How the Stars Appeal makes a difference:
- Activities such as music, storytelling, dance, reading and playing games through our Stars Appeal Live project
- Companionship and social activities like trips away from the ward through our Stars Appeal Engagers
- Enhancing the environment in which older patients are treated, for example with dementia friendly furnishings, décor and artwork
- Advanced rehabilitation equipment
- Visits from hospital Chaplains
- Support for bereaved families
- Gardens for outdoor therapy
- Free Wi-Fi
- Stars Appeal water coolers and beverage trollies
- Accommodation for patients’ loved ones
- Specialist training and education for staff caring for older patients
- Supporting the wellbeing and morale of staff caring for older patients
Patient Story
“You make the ward full of joy”
“I’ve been in hospital for a long time, nearly two months. I fell and had a knock on the head, so I’ve been a bit on the poorly side.
It’s lovely when the musicians come to the ward. I love music of all kinds, I’ve never been able to sing in my life but when they asked me to join in I said ‘yes, I certainly will!’ We sang and we laughed and it was wonderful. Everybody in the ward enjoys the music, and the thought of them coming gives us something to look forward to. Sometimes the Stars Appeal people even take us for coffee in the hospital canteen. We meet patients from other wards and have a nice chat. The way the hospital has treated me has been first-class, and these extra things make life in hospital wonderful and gay, and they help make us well.”
Barbara Sim, Salisbury