How To Create A Dementia Friendly Garden

GardenForums.com a friendly and growing community of gardeners. We feature a Garden Discussion Forum and Garden Photo Gallery. It's a fun and friendly place to talk with other gardeners, ask questions, share you knowledge, view and post photos and more! Whether you're a master gardener, or brand new to the hobby, you'll find something of interest here.



B

Brook Walker

Guest
Quality of life is so important when it comes to senior citizens– making sure that their golden years are as stimulating and enjoyable as possible. Dementia describes a group of symptoms related with a decline in memory or other thinking skills, severe enough to reduce a person’s ability to perform everyday activities. In the US there are at least 5 million people currently living with age-related dementia. As the population increases, these numbers are expected to rise.

Creating a dementia-friendly space, focusing on ways to include and embrace those who live with dementia, can help to combat the stigma and misunderstandings. Here are a few tips when developing a dementia-friendly garden:

Comfort


An important consideration for any dementia-friendly garden is comfort. Visitors to the garden may not be able to spend very long perusing the plants and wildlife so a comfortable spot to sit and observe is vital.

  • Seating: Comfortable, sturdy and all-weather outdoor furniture is key – the seating level also needs to be accessible for those who are unsteady on their feet. The ideal option is a good-quality wooden bench with a soft, cushioned seat.
  • Shelter: For the colder, wetter months, an undercover area would be ideal – either a gazebo or garden room with patio doors is a great option to ensure the garden is accessible all year.
  • Soft Furnishings: For safety and comfort, soft furnishings such as cushions, and blankets should be available – during the summer these could be placed in a wicker basket to be used when needed.
Encourage Wildlife


The Benefits of nature, natural light and wildlife have a marked effect on the improvement of well-being, happiness and a sense of purpose.

  • Bird Box and Feeds: Watching birds is both relaxing a therapeutic, often the same birds will return over long periods of time – encouraging recollection skills.
  • Ivy and Climbing Plants: Evergreen plants and climbers are a great garden addition to ensure a protective habitat for wildlife throughout the year.
  • Long Grass: Longer grass encourages wildlife, particularly butterflies and will allow for wild flowers to flourish – keep grass cutting to a minimum over the summer months,
  • Flowers: Plant an array of bulbs and perennials every couple of months to create a sensory experience throughout the year – flowers attract a variety of animals including bees and butterflies.
Sensory Experience


Paying close attention to sensory elements in a dementia-friendly garden is particularly important to help evoke positive memories and improve mood.

  • Familiar Smells: Familiar smells that trigger memories or encourage positive moods are an important element to any sensory garden. Aromatic flowers and herbs such as lavender and rosemary are soothing and may conjure old memories of home.
  • Sounds: The addition of wind chimes will create an ambient background sound.
  • Touch: Textured surfaces such as bark-edged furniture, soft shrubs and crinkly cushions on outdoor furniture will all aid the sensory experience.
  • Taste: Taste is an extremely important sense to rouse as it often stimulates memory – if your garden has the capacity for a fruit tree or bush then this would be a great addition.
  • Colors: Incorporate a mix of colorful plants and soft furnishings within the garden design – color and contrast are vital for the elderly as their eye-sight fades.

Once your dementia-friendly garden is complete – maximize its potential with regular activities, games and visits from local dog owners and children: this has been proven to improve well-being and encourage a positive outlook on life.

For inspiration on suitable activities, Active Minds offer a huge selection of sensory activities for dementia and dementia games aimed to bring people together, have fun and engage – these are the perfect addition to any dementia-friendly garden.

The post How To Create A Dementia Friendly Garden appeared first on Gardening Know How's Blog.

Continue reading...
 

Cyrus799

New Member
I agree with your opinion, when I watch birds I feel very comfortable and reduce stress. Because natural food sources are scarcer in the winter, bird feeders are an excellent way to attract a bevy of birds to your yard mid-winter. Having multiple feeders placed around your property will attract a variety of species because birds usually feed at different heights.
 
Last edited by a moderator:


Gardenforums.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Top