New daycare centre for dementia patients

A new, state-of-the-art daycare facility was opened this week. The Haynes Centre, based at the Neighbourhood Health Centre in Park Road, will provide specialist support for people with dementia and their carers.

Councillor Dilek Dogus, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Wellbeing, called it one of the most up-to-date centres of its kind in London.” Construction of the centre was funded by a donation of £750,000 from the Lewis and Mary Haynes Trust, a charity for the care of eldery people.

The centre, part of a new “polyclinic” on Park Road that replaced the former Hornsey Central Hospital last year, was developed jointly by Haringey Council, NHS Haringey and the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust. Facilities at the centre include activity areas, a music room, treatment rooms and a sensory garden.

“We have worked closely with other organisations when planning and building the centre so a seamless service can be offered for people with dementia,” continued Cllr Dogus.

Patients will be able to access a range of therapies including reminiscence therapy and life story work, art therapy and music therapy, dance, singing and exercise. The centre has been operational since October, and currently caters for 15 people a day, but the site has the capacity to treat up to 30 patients a day in the future.

The Haynes Centre was inspired by similar daycare provision at the Grange Centre in Tottenham. Dementia is a condition that affects areas of cognition such as memory, language, attention and problem solving. The condition can affect people of all ages, but is particularly associated with older people.

"The Haynes Centre will bring together specialist treatment and non-clinical support which people with dementia often need,” said Dr Therese Shaw, clinical director for dementia services at Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust. “We welcome the opening of this new centre and look forward to the benefits it will bring for service users and staff alike."

NHS Haringey and the Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust will be joined on the site by staff from from the Admiral Nurse Service, the Alzheimer's Society, Age Concern, who will be able to provide support and advice for both patients and carers.

Julie Quinn, the deputy chief executive of NHS Haringey, welcomed the new facilities, saying: “This is great news for the older and more vulnerable members of our community and will really make a difference to their lives.”

For information about assessment and care for older people in Haringey, contact over65@haringey.gov.uk.