How a new sensory garden is helping adults with dementia

After two years of planning, fundraising and hard work, volunteers and staff at Bridgend Resource Centre have unveiled a new sensory garden to support local adults with dementia.

Based at the resource centre in Waterton, the garden was planned and landscaped by students from Bridgend College who worked closely on the design alongside advisors from Age UK, Age Connects and the Alzheimer’s Society.

With brightly coloured resin pathways winding through a mix of raised flower and herb beds, the garden has been specially planted with specific types of flowers and shrubs designed to help stimulate the senses.

Visitors to the garden can enjoy quiet, tranquil areas for reflection as well as a range of water features, shade sails and living walls covered in flowers and vegetation. Particular care has been taken to ensure that the garden remains accessible and includes wheelchair-friendly bespoke furniture.

Hard work

Councillor Jane Gebbie, Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help, said: “This fantastic new facility is helping adults with dementia as well as people with learning or physical disabilities, and is the result of more than two years’ worth of effort and hard work.

“Research shows that being outside and able to move about can reduce tension and anxiety for people with dementia, and this custom-built space is specifically designed to enable people to stroll freely and safely.

“To create the garden, staff and volunteers raised more than £16,000 through a variety of different ways, and donations were gratefully received from the families of users of the centre, G4S, Rockwool, Bridgend Lions, Tesco and Asda.

“Local residents also helped by donating unwanted clothing, shoes and linen to a special recycling bank located opposite the nearby Lidl store at the Bridgend Retail Park.

“In addition to the work undertaken by Pencoed College, Age Concern, Age Connect and the Alzheimer’s Society, further support was received from the Carer’s Trust and B-Leaf, and the garden is the result of all of these efforts and more.

“It is already proving to be of great benefit, and I would like to congratulate and thank everyone who had a hand in helping to make it a reality.”