Hywel Dda Health Charities has provided over £60,000 of funding to support interactive arts activities for inpatients with dementia across Hywel Dda University Health Board.

The funding will provide 364 sessions across seven settings over two years.

The sessions will reach over 2,500 patients with dementia in Older Adult Mental Health Wards and Adult Frailty Wards in the three counties of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

The sessions will be led by professional artists and musicians and will be supervised by clinical staff from each ward.

A wide variety of arts sessions have been chosen with different artists and musicians delivering activities such as singing, movement, clay making, silk painting, pom pom making, textiles and printmaking.

The two-year programme is a continuation of a successful pilot.

Liz Carroll, Director of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, said: “We are so grateful that generous donations from our local communities have enabled us to fund the two-year arts programme.

“The pilot programme showcased significant potential for improving the experience and outcomes for dementia inpatients.”

Sharon Daniel, Interim Executive Director of Nursing, Quality & Patient Experience said: “Providing arts sessions such as these really makes a difference.

“We are really excited about delivering the two-year programme.”