Introduction
A sensory garden project can develop any garden area to encourage residents to utilise it more, as well as increasing the benefits through enhancing sensory stimulation.
The benefits of sensory stimulation for people with dementia have been discussed quite extensively in literature in recent years. Dr. Bill Thomas has expanded this concept through the development of ‘The Eden Alternative’, in which he proposes that loneliness, boredom and helplessness are often experienced by people in an aged care facility. He suggests that replacing an ‘institutional’ approach with an environment more like a ‘Human Habitat’, incorporating pets, plants and children into the daily lives of the residents, can help reduce these feelings of ill-being.
What are Sensory Gardens?
Gardens have long been associated with health and healing. Research has shown that people become more relaxed when they view scenes of nature. In addition, garden smells can also have an effect of lowering blood pressure, heart rate and slowing breathing.
Gardens offer a range of sensory experiences that are extremely therapeutic. In residential facilities, they can be designed to offer opportunities for reminiscence as well as providing pleasurable sights, smells, sounds (bees, birds, wind chimes, wind rustling), and opportunities to touch. They are a way for a person living in residential care to experience the joys of nature, undoing the effects of institutionalisation. Gardens can provide meaning, joy, and purpose, rekindling memories through all the senses.
Aims of Sensory Gardens
- To participate in outdoor activities and provide opportunities to engage in an activity that is meaningful.
- To regain past skills and rekindle old interests via involvement in a familiar activity.
- To promote involvement, participation, and feelings of self-worth by helping others. For example; sweeping, watering, and feeding the hens or the birds, collecting the eggs or washing the old car in the garden.
- To enable residents to exercise choice and make decisions in activities, which enhances autonomy and control.
- To promote social interaction; this may be on a 1:1 basis or in small group activities
- To stimulate all the senses and provide a variety of experiences.
- To maintain/regain functional skills.
Sensory Gardens on a Budget
This is the story of a project undertaken at a dementia facility where I used to work as an occupational therapist. One of the garden areas lacked a ‘certain something.’ It was beautifully landscaped with an outdoor patio, gazebo and raised garden beds, yet residents rarely ventured out into the area, preferring to remain seated in the adjoining lounge.
The Sensory Garden Project focused on this area, incorporating input and suggestions from the residents and family members, as well as staff. Suggestions were made about what may entice residents outside and provide them with a reason to interact with their environment through interesting sensory input, as well as facilitating both self-directed and group therapy activities. As with many great ideas, what was lacking was time and funding.
Two Curtin University Occupational Therapy students, Robyn Doney and Katherine Hathaway, were on five weeks fieldwork at the facility at this time, and were set the task of integrating the suggestions and sourcing items for the garden with a limited budget (A$200). Staff and family members also made donations of items. With this extra involvement, and some thrifty student knowledge of budget shopping, a range of items were acquired for the project including a bird bath, patio plants, hanging baskets with colourful plants, party lights for the gazebo, wind chimes, gnomes, statues, wall plaques and garden tools.
Residents who were interested in gardening were involved in designing the new area, including a ‘gnome family’, re-potting the plants and other gardening activities. This provided a fun afternoon for the residents, many of whom bought their afternoon tea outside and chatted while watching those who were gardening. Watering cans and garden tools were also placed on the patio near the potted plants and these serve as a visual cue to stimulate purposeful ongoing involvement by residents.
The new items not only provided interesting sensory stimulation, but also opportunities for discussion and reminiscence. The nature of these objects; providing ‘strong sensory experiences, colour, humour and the unusual or unexpected’ (as suggested by Jane Verity), may also promote long-term memory storage, therefore serving as orientation and familiarisation within their environment. The ‘new-look’ garden is also visible from within the lounge area, promoting discussion both indoors as well as encouraging people outdoors.
An evening BBQ is planned in the near future under the gazebo with party-lights, and staff have welcomed the new area as a way to share morning tea or an evening supper with residents. A visit by Jane Verity provided an exciting opportunity to discuss the project with her, and gain valuable feedback on the potential benefits.
Overall, the garden had a positive impact on the residents and staff through enhancing the aesthetic nature of the garden, as well as facilitating ongoing involvement by the residents.
Different Types of Sensory Gardens
1. Herb Garden
Herb gardens make a beautiful and often nostalgic garden area. You can select herbs with advice from your nursery staff who can tell you if they need sun or shade etc. These may look nice with a water feature nearby to create a tranquil feeling. You can initiate fascinating discussions about how these can be used in cooking or healing.
2. Fern garden
A fern garden makes an interesting theme for part of the garden that is in the shade. You can plant a selection of different ferns in this area.
3. Fairy Garden
A fairy garden can add something different for conversation when out walking in the garden. It is a lovely way to encourage families with young children to visit the facility. It is really simple to create; just find some inexpensive statues and ornaments of fairies and magical creatures and hang them on a tree or place them in a creative way in a rockery or around small shrubs. You could invite a local primary or secondary school to help create the garden. It may help to draw a simple plan of what you intend to do first.
4. Garden of Remembrance
This was a project some OT students assisted me with; we wanted to create a special rose garden for residents to visit/plant a rose for their family members who had passed away. A plaque was created for the wall and roses were planted in a special flower bed. It was a simple idea to respect the spiritual needs of residents.
5. Vegetable garden
This is a great addition to any facility garden. It creates a feeling of home and is beneficial for both male and female residents. Sometimes it is useful to plant the vegetables in raised flower beds to enable easy access. Arrangements may need to be made to ensure the vegetables are regularly watered and this may be a job for individual residents who would like to help.
6. Gnome family
A gnome family is a cluster of gnomes of different sizes scattered throughout a flowerbed. It provides a humorous topic of conversation while out for walks in the garden; there is nothing like something unexpected or funny to stimulate conversation.
8. Old car and workshop
Having an old car to tinker with, wash, and sit inside is a wonderful and meaningful activity for all residents, especially men. An old shed with some ‘safe’ tools and interesting objects to rummage through is also valuable for male residents.
9. Chicken Run
Having a chicken run provides several meaningful activities that need to be done daily such as feeding the hens, cleaning the run or collecting the eggs, which all provide meaning and purpose. Having chickens may be quite nostalgic for some residents and stimulate memories.
Funding & Grants
Rotary and Lions Clubs
If you write a letter to your local Rotary or Lions Club explaining the purpose of your project and saying what you need, you may be able to obtain small money grants towards your sensory garden. Sometimes these clubs may invite you to speak to the club about your project.
Local Councils
There is usually a funding officer at your local council who can provide you with forms to apply to your shire for a grant. They will often be able to talk you through some of the process on the phone, which is very helpful.
Arts groups and funding bodies
Some arts funding bodies will provide grants towards creative outdoor projects. For example, a colleague of mine obtained an arts grant to work as an artist/facilitator with people who have dementia making an outdoor pottery feature for their facility.
Lotteries Commission
Larger grants are available from the Lotteries Commission. There is a long form to complete for these grants; however, it is worth it for a larger project. You will need to provide detailed quotes and a budget. You may also need to show what your facility will contribute either financially or in kind (e.g, staff time) to the project.
Banks
Some bank will provide small grants to local organisations if you write a letter to their manager explaining the purpose of your project.
An Example of How to Complete a Funding Application
The following are some questions you may be asked in your grant application and some key points to consider:
1. What are you planning to do?
Create a sensory garden that will be of benefit to people with dementia
2. Why are you doing this project, aims and objectives?
- To stimulate all the senses
- To promote wellbeing through the healing qualities of a garden
- To facilitate friendships amongst residents
- To promote communication between residents
- To stimulate sharing of stories, memories and feelings
- To increase self-esteem and enable a feeling of freedom
- To provide meaning in the lives of residents
3. Who is involved in your project?
People with dementia residing in a hostel
4. Who will provide service?
The project will be undertaken by the OT and therapy assistants, volunteers and students from a local school
5. Where is project taking place?
Project is taking place in the garden areas at the ‘Gum Tree’ facility.
6. When?
May 2008
7. How?
Outline here the plan for your gardening sessions
8. Evaluation
Assessments including:
- Wellbeing Profiles
- Informal verbal feedback from residents and families
- Staff survey
- Resident Qualitative Survey
- Observation of residents (weekly diary of residents responses, by staff)
- Attendance records
9. Anticipated Impact
Expected outcomes include that the garden will bring joy into the lives of people with dementia and their families. It will help during visits and stimulate conversation. The garden will make the facility feel more home like, add a feeling of peace and tranquillity, enable freedom, and provide meaningful activities.