J1 is an assessment ward for elderly people with mental illness. As well as looking after our patients' physical well-being, we here on J1 look at them holistically, taking into consideration their psychological, emotional and spiritual needs, too.

We have many activities on the ward which include craft sessions, aromatherapy and reflexology groups, concert parties coming in to entertain, therapeutic gardening groups, bingo, church services etc, and patients are also taken out on trips.

As part of the ongoing programme, we have the Pat Dogs visit. Richard Harrison and his Burmese mountain dog, Drew, visit the ward on Thursday afternoons and have done for over five years now. The patients love his visits.

On occasions when patients have been admitted and their dogs have had to be put into kennels, members of staff have gone out to the kennels to bring the dogs in for a visit.

We also have a Canadian eagle owl called Merlyn who visits us on a monthly basis with his handler, Mary Hoghton. The patients are always delighted to see them.

We have also had budgies on the ward from time to time and some of the patients have even helped to care for them. At present we have aquaria, too.

We cannot thank Richard, Drew, Mary and Merlyn enough for the happiness they bring to our patients' lives and, yes, these visits really do help our patients' recovery -- long may they continue.

Maureen Heggie

Staff Nurse/Activities

Co-ordinator

J1 Ward

Royal Bolton Hospital