Safe and colourful dementia garden 'does wonders' for care home residents

Residents at a Nottingham care home can enjoy the summer in a new dementia garden specially designed to stimulate their senses and improve their wellbeing.

The gardens at Elmbank Nursing Home in Mapperley have been re-designed as part of a £1,500 scheme which has taken six months to complete.

The new garden contains a variety of specially-chosen flowers and plants including lavender and honeysuckle, a water feature, bird tables with solar lighting, a new walkway for wheelchair access and outdoor furniture – all designed to help residents with dementia to cope with the condition.

Isabel Mantle, manager of Elmbank Nursing Home, said: “Dementia patients do not want to spend their lives indoors so our new garden has provided them with such a wonderful space.

“Getting outdoors, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells, does wonders for people living with the condition and they can trigger memories. Although the garden has only just been finished our residents are already enjoying using it, especially with their families.

“We have introduced the right planting, comfortable seating and even lighting so everyone can enjoy the space as much as possible. It is a big hit with our residents who have also got involved in the detail, including painting their own plant pots.”

She added: “With summer here it’s perfect timing for residents to be outside and really enjoy the garden. It has added a whole new dimension for what we can offer them.”

Dementia-friendly gardens can be hugely beneficial, according to designer Kim Grove, who has designed a number of dementia-friendly gardens. She said: “Gardens have great healing powers and a lot of research has been done to show that gardens can help to calm people down, reduce agitation and relive stress.”

They can also give people the opportunity to get out in the fresh air, boost oxygen levels and improve social interaction.

Elmbank is a registered nursing home for people with dementia including Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities and physical disabilities associated with old age.

The home is part of privately-owned Redwood Healthcare Limited and is registered with the Care Quality Commission as a care home for 35 residents.

click here for more details or to contact Elmbank Nursing Home