Dementia-friendly tea parties on B47

By creating a more familiar and welcoming environment, the project helps reduce mealtime stress, supports safe eating and drinking, and encourages positive moments of connection between patients and their families.

The challenge

For patients living with dementia, hospital wards can feel unfamiliar, noisy and overwhelming. Mealtimes, already difficult for people with cognitive or swallowing difficulties, can become stressful, leading to reduced food intake, anxiety, and fewer positive interactions with loved ones. Staff on B47 wanted to create a calmer, more familiar environment where patients could eat and drink safely, feel connected, and enjoy moments of normality with their families.

What the grant funded

Each month, a section of the ward is transformed into a relaxed, welcoming space, bringing a touch of home to the hospital.

A yearly £500 grant enables the Speech and Language Therapy team to run monthly dementia-friendly tea parties on B47.

Tablecloths, flowers and decorations

Cakes, soft treats and appropriately modified snacks

Proper cups, plates and stands to recreate a café-like setting

Adapted food and drink suitable for different swallowing needs

Measurable outcomes

Although the tea parties look simple, they support several meaningful outcomes:

Improved patient engagement with food and drink in a calm, sociable environment

Increased family interaction and time spent together in a dignified, enjoyable setting

Safe inclusion of all patients, thanks to modified menus and research-based swallowing strategies

Positive feedback from patients, relatives and staff

Sustained monthly delivery of the initiative for another year thanks to continued funding

Dementia Tea Parties Nottingham Hospitals Charity 2 — Jane Stockwell (pictured left) is a Speech and Language Therapist in Nottingham, part of the Specialist Medicine and Dementia Team.

Jane Stockwell, Speech and Language Therapist said:

“The Speech and Language Therapy team enhance the experience of patients with dementia by leading regular tea parties on B47, which provide a relaxed environment to encourage eating and drinking.

“Research-based strategies are utilised, and modified food and drink are provided to ensure accessibility to all.

“The team values how the space allows staff to support patients in a more person-centred way and trial strategies in a natural, social setting.”

Patient and service impact

The new library area has quickly become a favourite place on the ward. Children now have a cosy spot to explore stories and unwind, and parents benefit from a peaceful space that offers distraction during stressful moments.

This project showcases how charitable funding can transform clinical spaces into warm, supportive environments that make a meaningful difference to patients and their loved ones.

What patients and loved ones say...

Patients and families describe the tea parties as uplifting moments that break up hospital routines and restore a sense of normal life:

“I couldn’t believe I was in hospital with the lovely spread… it was most enjoyable.” — Patient
“What a fabulous idea! I visited my mum and walked into a proper tea party with cake stands, cups and flowers.” — Relative
“Everyone arrived quietly, then soon were talking and enjoying tea together.” — Visitor

Apply for a Patient Experience grant

Small and large grants available

Nobody chooses to spend time in hospital, so our aim is to make every stay as calm, comfortable and positive as possible.

Our Patient Experience Grant supports projects that improve the experience of patients, families and carers by providing things that go beyond standard NHS provision.

Find out more

Dementia-friendly tea parties are making hospital feel a little more like home.

Thanks to a renewed £500-a-year grant, patients with dementia and their families can come together for a relaxed, welcoming tea party where food and drink are carefully adapted for all abilities, creating a calm, social space that feels a little like home.