Wendy Brewin, creative spaces project manager and Jane Stoneham, director, the Sensory Trust, discuss how involving staff, residents and their families in the design of a care home garden will ensure it becomes a place that reflects their lives
Research studies show how care home gardens can help older residents maintain or even improve their physical health and mental wellbeing. Even without the research, we instinctively know this to be true. It is obvious that things that motivate us to get out and be active will be better for us than things that keep us sedentary.
Experience tells us we feel better when we wake up knowing we have interesting things to see and do, and that this is far better than enduring days that are indistinguishable from one another. This is one of the most important roles a care home garden can fulfil - providing a place where residents are inspired to venture out, to spend time in the fresh air, to engage in new and familiar activities or simply to enjoy watching the weather and seasons change from indoors.
Other benefits are less obvious. For example, spending time outdoors can improve residents’ sleeping and eating patterns, reduce dependency on others and help them cope more effectively with some of the symptoms of dementia and other health issues, such as anxiety and depression. In turn, we see happier residents, families and friends and less pressured staff – everyone gains.
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