Dementia patients at a care home in Northumberland had their walls painted to replicate a 1940s high-street so they could recover lost memories.

The home, De Baloil Care Home, transformed the hallways to look like the area many of its residents grew up in. The staff team hope the features of the street, from the old-fashioned shop fonts to the sea views that could be seen through ‘windows,’ could trigger memories for the residents with dementia.

Sylvia Richardson, administrator, said: “We wanted to create an atmosphere that would stimulate memories of the local area of yesterday and today.

We involved all the residents and the staff – but almost all the work has been done by Chris Brosnan, our maintenance man, with the murals for doors and walls done by Premier Graphics, from Blyth.”

The idea has been tested in other care homes and hospitals across the UK – not only does it create happy memories, but also a calming and ‘homely’ effect.

“I’ve been working here for about four years, and it doesn’t feel like a nursing home, it feels like a family,” said Judith Brown, care home manager.