A second Frances Centre at Broadgreen Hospital has opened, thanks to a generous donation. Frances Centre Aintree.jpg

The creation of the Frances Centre has been made possible thanks to Professor Ananda Dulal Sarkar, who made a donation to University Hospitals Liverpool Charity in memory of his late wife, Frances. The centre is a legacy of the outstanding work she did throughout her lifetime and the endless hours she devoted to helping others. From a young age, Frances Sarkar spent any spare time supporting those in her community who often didn’t have family or friends. She would visit care homes, organising trips out and making clothes for the residents.

The centre will aim to promote recovery and wellbeing for patients with delirium and dementia, but also support those in reablement at the hospital to develop and regain their independence. Ward spaces can sometimes be stressful for older people with cognitive impairment, hindering their recovery, and the centre will offer a quiet and dedicated space to allow for enhanced support and therapies for inpatients.

Frances' husband, Professor Sarkar, said: “I am thrilled to support the opening of the second centre, in memory of Frances, and to leave a legacy for the caring work she had committed her life to. Dementia is a cruel disease and is completely devastating for the person. Having personally experienced the impact it has on the individual and their family; after losing Frances to vascular dementia in 2021, it is very important to me to be able to support others in any positive way I can.”

The unit at Broadgreen has been designed using dementia friendly wall wraps and safe, matt flooring to minimise confusion and risk of trips and falls. The space which will house a range of appropriate therapies and activities, including reminiscence materials and games includes artwork kindly donated by a local artist featuring iconic local landmarks.

The charity have worked closely with Professor Sarkar and the teams involved to both centres at Aintree and Broadgreen, and look forward to opening a third at The Royal Liverpool University Hospital later this year.