Outdoor spaces and dementia

• Gardens that care

  It is known that being outdoors creates feelings of appreciation, tranquillity, spirituality and peace and so it would seem, that just being in a garden setting is in itself restorative and active gardening heightens those feelings. This resource covers the benefits of gardens, the implementation and design of gardens that are inclusive for people living with dementia, as well as suggestions for activity in the garden.

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  Horticultural Therapy for dementia: webinar

  In this webinar, Kim Davis, a horticultural therapist, describes how you can work in your garden to gain benefits, and let the garden work its magic on you and your loved one. As gardening is not only fun, awakens your senses and is good for your soul. A growing body of evidence shows that gardening may provide substantial therapeutic benefits for people living with dementia, decreasing symptoms and improving overall wellbeing and quality of life.

• Restore : how green spaces support human restoration by Sandra Schwarz

  Publication Date: 2025

  Explore the way green spaces naturally ease our physical functioning, reduce stress and improve our health. Vibrant images across 30 international case studies, showcase how restorative green spaces can nurture and support us physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Providing a new and universal approach to this topic, this book explores diverse public open spaces (High Line, New York City), public gardens (Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne), healthcare gardens (Horatio's Gardens, UK) and private gardens. RESTORE shares practical tools for anyone to apply as the starting point to green space design.
• A breath of fresh air: The importance of air quality in aged care design by Annie Pollock

  Publication Date: 2021

  Air pollution is a global problem that has far-reaching effects for millions of people every year. A Breath of Fresh Air is an important guide to the issue, and the impact of older people and people living with dementia who are more vulnerable to poor air quality.
  This book will help building professionals, aged care providers, carers and families understand the issues of indoor and outdoor air pollution, with useful strategies for improving air quality for older people and practical real-world examples.
• The Room Outside by Annie Pollock; Colm Cunningham

  Publication Date: 2018

  Being outside adds to everyone's quality of life but too often this simple joy of living is beyond the reach of older people and people with dementia. The room outside is easy to read, informative and well-researched making it the perfect resource for those seeking to build, design or manage better outdoor spaces, or those wanting to access and advocate for them.
• Designing Outdoor Spaces for People with Dementia by Mary Marshall (Editor); Annie Pollock (Editor)

  Publication Date: 2012

  Featuring authors from Japan, USA, Australia and Norway as well as the UK, the book provides a review of evidence based research supporting the importance of access to outdoor spaces; understanding how to use outdoor spaces appropriately and case studies from around the world describing how to develop and utilise well designed spaces for people with dementia.
• Transforming the Quality of Life for People with Dementia Through Contact with the Natural World

  Publication Date: 2011

  This important book simply but persuasively demonstrates why we should provide the opportunities for people with dementia to experience the great outdoors. It also gives a voice to people with dementia who have felt the benefit of getting closer to nature. The contributors explore many different ways in which people with dementia can experience and interact with nature through pursuits such as farming, gardening and walking, and the book includes a chapter on the therapeutic, life-enhancing effects of activities with animals.
• Design for Nature in Dementia Care by Garuth Chalfont

  Publication Date: 2007

  Design for Nature in Dementia Care provides comprehensive examples of ways to connect to nature through indoor and outdoor activities. The author describes a wide range of activities that offer a connection to nature, such as caring for house plants and pets, gardening and cooking, practising handicrafts and domestic chores. He suggests practical ways to incorporate nature into indoor and outdoor environments and also into the design of buildings and landscapes.
• Creating Culturally Appropriate Outside Spaces and Experiences for People with Dementia

  Publication Date: 2014

  Demonstrating that it is essential to be sensitive to the cultural backgrounds of people with dementia in order to provide truly person-centred care, this book shows that it is possible to create culturally appropriate outdoor spaces and experiences that resonate with people with dementia on a fundamental level and are a source of comfort and wellbeing. Contributors drawn from a variety of backgrounds describe the significance of nature in the lives of people with dementia from diverse cultures, faiths, traditions and geographical locations, providing helpful insights into how access to the natural world may be achieved within different care settings.
• Designing balconies, roof terraces and roof gardens for people with dementia

  Publication Date: 2011

  This book describes practical ways in which new and existing buildings can maximise opportunities for people with dementia to access outside space using balconies, roof terraces and roof gardens.