Currently in hospitals there aren't really any outside spaces that can be accessed safely by patients living with Dementia, which means on nice days they are stuck inside not able to get fresh air or enjoy the smell of the flowers, or the touch of them.
So my idea is to create an environment that is conducive to the above, but taking it a step further by giving it a seaside theme, after all we all love the seaside. we can then also fund a nice sensory/ craft room that can be used to stimulate and occupy the patient with meaningful activity. these rooms would be built into the shapes of beach huts, we would have a water feature, up lighters, established plants that be touched, smelt, tasted and pathways illuminated softly at night.
What we'll deliver:
- Demolish and rebuid two buildings not fit for purpose
- garden accsessories
- Hard landscape the area so that it is safe
- kit out one of the buildings as a sensory / craft room the other as a teaching room to train carers on dementia
- light house
- murals
- plant established trees and flowers
- soft landscape the same area to include raised beds and very low gradient pathways
- water feature
Why it's a great idea:
this is a great idea because older adults are very rarely thought of in many projects and anything that can keep this co-hort of people active and stimulated has to better than allowing them to become distressed and agitated. I can think of nothing worse than not being able to go outside for fresh air or smell flowers, listen to the sound of water yet stay safe and be happy, an area to walk around with family and friends, perhaps have a cup of tea and a slice of cake in the summer be able to do meaningful things once again
Steps to get it done:
- adornments
- hard lanscaping
- knock down and rebuild of buildings
- planting
- soft landscaping
