Husband built 1960s living room on hospital ward to help wife with Alzheimer's

A devoted husband built a 1960s-style sitting room in a hospital ward to help his wife being treated for Alzheimer's.

George Drummond, 70, decorated the room with period wallpapers, black-and-white photographs and racks for vinyl LP records to help his wife Elaine remember the happier days.

And he told how sitting down in front of a fire on a vintage sofa with a wooden TV set helped Elaine to stay "calm and happy".

George and Elaine played records from their collection of 33's Credit: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Elaine died five months after being admitted to Llandough Hospital, in Cardiff, in her five-year battle with Alzheimer's - but George pledged to carry on with his DIY dementia rooms, and has now helped to build a period kitchen and a seaside cafe too.

George said: "I heard the nurses talking about the plans for the rooms and I said if they needed someone to help with some decorating and some tiling then I was happy to lend a hand".

George told how sitting his wife down in front of a fire on a vintage sofa helped her to feel calm Credit: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
George Drummond and carers Lyn James and Susan Beck in the DIY room Credit: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board

Cardiff University and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have hailed George's DIY rooms as a positive step for treatment.

Nurse Katherine Martinson said: "It's such a simple thing to do and has worked really well. There is a lot of emotion in this room. To have something else to think about other than a hospital visit means a lot to them".

Watch Mike Griffiths' report here: