Dementia Garden at Bloom
Among the many delights of Bloom last weekend was a garden purposefully constructed to assist those suffering with dementia, a subject covered in ‘Minding the Mind’ in the current issue of NewsFour. The garden was the brainchild of Clive Jones.
At the Bloom festival Clive told NewsFour that “easy accessibility, along with stimulating the senses with vibrant colours, and facilitating rest stop at comfortable intervals was the thinking behind it”.
The garden is all on one level, with hand rails and rest rails strategically placed throughout. This encourages people to stop for rest periods and enjoy small talk with family members or carers. Flowers, such as carnations and hydrangea that we might associate with times’ past, are prominent, as it is thought this can help stimulate memory, and even retard the progress of early dementia. Vivid colours are noticeable throughout, violets, pinks and purple, with flower beds raised somewhat to avoid unnecessary stooping. A seat in a shaded area is provided where the person can sit and drink in the colour and auras of nature.
Clive and his colleagues who created the garden are to be complimented on a worthy achievement that is both functional and aesthetic.
When Bloom finishes the garden will be moved to its permanent home in Co. Wicklow.
Bloom was created by Bord Bia.
Eoin Meegan
