We take pride in our beautiful gardens and flowering trees here at Sensations Memory Care Residence, but they provide something more important than just pleasing aesthetics. Gardening and being surrounded by garden areas is therapeutic for people with dementia and other forms of memory impairment. It allows them to have their senses stimulated, a warm social environment with common interests, and a safe place for them to get fresh air.
Dementia is a disease that affects all parts of the brain, deteriorating the five senses as it progresses. As this happens, stimulation of the senses becomes even more important than it has been before. The scent of flower petals and sight of butterflies fluttering by allows our residents to experience beauty a little closer. Hearing birds chirping in the distance gives them the opportunity to listen and enjoy the birdsong. Residents can touch and feel the leaves and flower petals. Often, later in the summer, residents are able to pluck grapes off of our grapevines, wash them off, and eat them. There are other fruits and vegetables in our garden that Culinary harvests and uses as well!
Being able to engage other people in a meaningful environment such as a garden where similar interests can be sparked helps boost a person’s morale and makes them feel less lonely. Discussing the flowers (and the occassional squirrel or rabbit!) with their friends brings a smile to the residents’ faces. There have been countless conversations around the patio tables about gardening techniques and memories our loved ones have had in their own gardens. All of these interactions bring a little more joy to everyone’s daily lives.
The patio and garden area allows for residents to spend time outdoors in a safe, well-maintained environment. When the weather is nice enough, our residents enjoy spending time walking along the garden path, which is flat, free of obstructions, and always loops back around to our building. This keeps the resident from getting confused. Since we are a full-lockdown facility, all of our gates have locks on them, ensuring the safety of the residents while they are allowed to wander freely and explore Sensations’ gardens.
We always ensure that the residents have proper skin protection on when they are outside and there are certain times during the summer when we do not go outside, such as if the temperature is exceedingly hot or if there is inclement weather. Most days when we go out, we enjoy a nice meal, followed by our daily activities.
Sensations prides itself on being a safe facility that specializes in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Each of Sensations’ design elements ensures safety and security for our residents. If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with dementia and are looking for information, please feel free to call us at (517) 543-8101. Our office hours are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
