A £35,000 project to redesign a community unit for older men with dementia will be unveiled on Wednesday.

Peppermill Court, in Huntington Road, York, has been altered to provide patients with an interactive living space.

The scheme is part of a national initiative called Enhancing the Healing Environment, which is funded by the Department of Health and supported by the King's Fund independent health charity.

The changes were made in partnership with patients and their families and include a new garden, artwork, webcams outside and DVD screens playing images of Yorkshire.

Dr Linda Brown, one of the consultants behind the project, said: "This redesign is not just a lick of paint, it is a whole new way of working with patients at the community unit.

"At Peppermill Court, we deal with patients who are aged 65 and over and who are affected by dementia, which causes severe difficulties in terms of understanding and behaviour.

"It is difficult to improve the environment for them because of safety issues, but this special redesign will enable us to better support patients and reduce the boredom and frustration they suffer by their condition."