Sensory garden soothes dementia patients

17 Jul 2007

A Neath hospital that provides a safe haven for people with dementia is now also able to offer them somewhere to relax with loved ones.

Neath Port Talbot Alzheimer's Society has turned an area of wasteground outside Tonna Hospital into a sensory garden with flowers, vegetables – and a recently-added bench seat and surrounding safety matting, courtesy of a £600 grant from Corus.

The garden opened last September after three years of planning and was supported by the Bro Morgannwg Trust – which runs the hospital – Neath Port Talbot Skills and Training Agency, Morrison Construction Company and Neath Council for Voluntary Services.  The project cost almost £35,000 and was financed entirely by fundraising.

Joan Oxley, who managed the project on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Clinicians say there is a definite healing process through gardens where people suffering from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia can smell and touch flowers.  It also helps them to relax if they’re out planting seeds and vegetables.”

Tonna Hospital has a specialist dementia unit with 80 beds for in-patients and 40 for day patients.  Before the garden, visitors had nowhere to take patients other than out into the car park.

“We’ve been magnificently supported by the community – not just through people buying trees and plants, but also by volunteers who did hands-on work like digging,” said Joan Oxley.

”We very much appreciate Corus’s generosity in helping finish off the project and contributing to what has been a tremendous partnership effort.”

Keith Farron said: “Tonna Hospital has an excellent reputation as somewhere that people with dementia can be cared for in a safe and calm environment.

“Many former Corus workers and their families have had cause to use the hospital through the years, and the company is pleased to be able to help make people’s time there as relaxing as possible.”