Improving care home residents’ wellbeing through community gardens

When living in a care home, it is integral that residents feel safe and comfortable in their new home. For those with a love or fondness for gardening or the outdoors, having access to a space where they can interact with nature and continue a loved pastime can really enhance their quality of life and boost their wellbeing.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Plants have a magical way of transforming our surroundings and our minds. For residents in care homes in particular, connecting with nature can be both nurturing and therapeutic and can overall brighten their mood. Other benefits include:

• helps promote physical activity

• reduces stress and mental fatigue

• promotes blood flow

• stimulates the senses

• lowers blood pressure

• enhances sleep quality.

Contributing to improved emotional and mental wellbeing, a thoughtfully designed garden with accessible features promotes independence among residents and can become a sanctuary for those looking for tranquility or relaxation.

Biophilic design

Biophilia, the innate human connection to nature, has been widely recognised as an essential component of wellbeing. Creating somewhere meaningful that encourages residents to be outside and interact with nature can help empower them to do a little more with their days and feel more motivated.

Sensory stimulation

Spending time in nature also provides the opportunity to stimulate the senses, particularly with residents living with dementia. Whether it be the rustling of leaves, the smell of the fresh soil or the feel of the breeze, it can help trigger memories of times they’ve previously enjoyed. These reminders can help them relax, reduce agitation and engage more with the present, especially when having a task or something to focus on. Even an activity as simple as listening to the sounds of birds tweeting or watching the clouds move can help bring a sense of calm and have restorative effects on the brain.

Social interaction

Incorporating community gardens can inspire a sort of social hub - encouraging further communication between residents, their loved ones and staff members. The openness of nature and being outside can make it feel easier to start up a conversation or say a friendly hello, helping residents to form social bonds and feel more connected with each other.

Having access to outside space allows for social activities to be planned, promoting more local community engagement. This can foster intergenerational interaction, providing a sense of reminiscence for care home residents.

Participating in gardening and working with each other to nurture and tend to the plants can help provide a sense of accomplishment amongst each other. Residents can find themselves discussing their favourite flowers, sharing their best gardening technique or exchanging stories, helping them to feel connected to the wider world and increase their wellbeing.

Through sharing a community garden, residents, staff members and visitors alike can inspire each other to play an active role - no matter how small - in helping their spot of nature thrive.