Oilfields General Hospital in Black Diamond has been changing things up in an effort to improve patient care and quality of life.

Carla Ralph, Site Manager at Oilfields General Hospital, says the H.O.M.E project's goal is to engage patients and in doing so improve their health, by being mentally and physically stimulated.

"We have begun what we call the H.O.M.E project, so Happy -Optimal - Meaningful - Environment." Ralph explains, "It's focused largely on improving dementia care in our long term care unit, as well as providing resident centered care as a whole."

Ralph says, the hospital has been renovating with the idea that making residents feel more at home, will deter responsive behaviors and the urge to 'go home'.

"What we've embarked on is improving the environment as a whole, especially in our long term care wing. We're creating something that is more welcoming, comfortable, more home like and less institutional."

How does one's surroundings correlated to their healthcare in a hospital setting?

Ralph explains that it is more relaxing for the patients who may be anxious as a side effect of their disease. 

"Often when someone is experiencing dementia, they have what we call responsive behaviors. They're not able to tell us rationally what they're experience, so what we see is a behavior that we then need to decide where it's coming from." Ralph says "For some it's examples of often saying 'I want to go home' because home to them is a safe place, a place that was familiar in their memory; We need to create spaces that people can identify as home."

Other responsive behaviors that the H.O.M.E project tries to prevent is pacing, and escape attempts.

Staff and organizers have tried to create something for those patients where they can sit and do something, or talk to someone about a memory that has been created, or something they've seen.

Ralph shares, an example of a sensory item for dementia patients.

"For example we have an antique sewing machine.  For a lot of elderly ladies, that is something that is quite familiar to them, whether they've used one, or their mother used to have one in the home. They're able to have memories then, related to that and we'll have different fabrics there so it will provide a sensory experience for them as well."

For locals that would like to help or donate, they can contact the hospital for any antique donations, or the Sheep River Health Trust for monetary donations.

Ralph says the project also includes residents input, often the residents have had a say in colors and the art work that has been done for the project.