Sensory garden created for older adults

Being able to enjoy the great outdoors should not just be a luxury for those without limited mobility. Many older adults and people reliant on home stairlifts, can find getting out in nature difficult. However, a volunteer day in Chester has made efforts towards creating an accessible outside space.

A beautiful garden that is focused on bringing enjoyment to all the senses has been created in Chester and is aiming to help people staying at a special needs care home which is nearby in Bleacon. Sixteen individuals dedicated their volunteer day to renovate this outdoor space.

Though this was more than a day’s work, the group worked carefully with the home in Bleacon to ensure that the garden would suit the residents’ needs as well as give pleasure over the long-term. 

The lead project manager, Elaine O’Mullan told the Chester Chronicle about the impact their volunteering had:

“As part of the group’s ambition to help Britain prosper, we were thrilled to use our volunteering day to support local people and help our community thrive.

“It was great to see the difference we made to the garden and our plans coming to life.”

The senior support worker responded with gratitude, as the project was not something that could have been undertaken by the team of carers at the home. Helen Murphy was quick to praise the volunteers:

“The transformation of the garden is beyond our expectations. Your team’s dedicated help has given us a beautiful space for the gentlemen to enjoy for the rest of the summer. I can’t praise your team enough for all they did, not just the heavy lifting and manual work but the very thoughtful finishing touches in the sensory space.”

Positive community projects such as this improve the experience of older adults and those with limited mobility. They also help to establish community feeling that, when missing, can leave older adults feeling lonely. 

Image Credit: Quinn Dombrowski