Forget Me Not Cards – I wish I had known about them years ago
Have you ever heard of ‘Forget Me Not’ cards? For Yvonne Bytheway, these little cards would have been of huge benefit to her sister when she had a stroke and was unable to speak. Yvonne now volunteers at James Cook University Hospital and says, she is passionate about the use of the cards and has seen the difference they can make.
Forget Me Not cards were designed to help people living with dementia, with learning difficulties or physical disabilities as well as those who are too poorly or frail to communicate their needs and preferences when they are in hospital.
It’s really important that patients, carers or family members are given the cards as soon possible after admission. This is so they can complete them with important details such as: what they like to eat, the clothes they like to wear, things that might make them anxious, information about their lives and much more: this helps staff to see the patient beyond the diagnosis and treatment they are receiving.
The card stays with the patient, somewhere near their bed, so it is visible to everyone, from doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants to domestic services and catering. Yvonne has made it her mission to ensure these cards are available to patients on all wards: she recalls helping a patient on the stroke ward with their menu choices, checking the card she was able to see they liked Shepherds Pie, which was luckily on the menu that day! It’s the small things that really help patients to be as comfortable as possible and have a positive experience.
So, what can you do if someone you care for has communication needs whilst staying in hospital?
- Ask a member of staff for a Forget Me Not card as soon as possible.
- Complete it with as much detail as possible.
- Make sure the card is visible, near the medical notes, or on their table.
- Ask for a Forget Me Not Card in pre-assessment for a planned admission.
- Encourage everyone to read the cards.
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