12:51pm Friday 3rd July 2009
By Michael Pickard
Armed with paints and brushes, stroke patients at Watford General Hospital are creating their own masterpieces at weekly art classes.
Every Thursday, a group of patients from the Dick Edmonds Ward at the hospital, in Vicarage Road, leave their beds to spend several hours painting with oils, pastels and acrylics.
The classes, which have been taking place for a year, are designed to help patients with their rehabilitation, as they are encouraged to use the side of their body that has been affected by a stroke.
David Elliott, a chaplain at the hospital, said the sessions also have a “therapeutic” quality.
He said: “It brings people out of the ward, bringing them into a more social setting where they can listen to some music around a table. They can participate as much as they want and can express themselves. It helps to lift people's mood.
“It's a therapeutic kind of activity. What I try and do is create an activity that someone who never had art experience can still have a go at, so they can produce something they are quite pleased with.
“We try to be as positive and as encouraging as possible. We want them to feel positive about what they are doing.”
The unit, which was voted the eighth best in the country at a recent audit, has 24 beds and a high turnover of patients.
Nicola Steele, an occupational therapy assistant, said, the classes help lift patients' spirits and build their confidence after suffering a stroke.
She said: “The achievement they get just by picking up a paintbrush is extraordinary. Sometimes it's [the atmosphere's] really intense and other times it's really jovial and they all seem pleased with the work they produce.
“It's also about lifting their spirits. Depression is an issue. People find it hard talking but they come in here and it builds their confidence. It's a very lovely thing for them to do.
“Working in an acute setting, we cannot do much rehab so this is very important. We're able to give people their independence and make them feel good.
“It's good for family and relatives to see what they are achieving. It's wonderful for them to see they are not just in a bed.”
One patient enjoying the art class yesterday (Thursday) was Wayne Lee Welsh, who was painting an abstract view of a city landscape.
He said: “It's helping me get my feeling back. I'm feeling a lot better. It's better than being stuck in the ward. It relaxes me and it's a nice atmosphere.”
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