Facing a dementia diagnosis is unsettling for seniors and their loved ones. When the symptoms progress to a point where your parent needs a long-term care community, the situation can become overwhelming.
Thankfully, many of these communities don’t have institutional-style settings that feel more like hospitals. The Cordwainer is a prime example of a modern assisted living memory care community, with a peaceful setting and a holistic care approach.
Like other senior communities, we have plants, flowers, and trees on the property. But our special sensory garden takes things up a notch—it’s multi-functional and used for therapeutic benefits.
The Cordwainer caregiving team recognizes the importance of therapeutic sensory ideas for dementia. We employ many of them in our community for the residents’ benefit, integrating them into our holistic approach for seniors with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. We’re proud to have our own sensory garden; it captures the imagination and stimulates the senses in an immersive environment.
What are sensory gardens for dementia like?
These carefully curated gardens typically have a variety of pleasant-smelling plants, like lavender or rosemary, to evoke treasured memories, create learning experiences, and calm the mind. The plants can also have different textures and colors to stimulate visual and tactile engagement. The textures can be soft or firm; we don’t use plants with potentially hazardous features like thorns.
It’s best to have a variety of plants that grow in different ways—creeping, trailing, and upright. That creates more visual interest, as do flowering plants with a variety of colors. There might also be water features like a fountain; those might have bubbling sounds and attract birds.
Accessibility is just as important for a sensory garden’s design. If it’s on the ground, seniors might be unable to reach the plants. Raised garden beds are easier for them to access.
How Sensory Gardens Benefit Seniors with Dementia
Seniors with dementia often face the challenge of feeling lost or disconnected from their environment. A sensory garden offers comforting familiarity, stimulating the senses and helping bridge cognitive and emotional gaps. Interacting with one can improve mood, reduce agitation, and enhance social interactions.
A simple walk through a garden can also offer a sense of purpose and a much-needed respite from the world’s confusion. This mindful approach focuses on what remains, rather than what has been lost; sensory gardens for seniors enable moments of joy and connection.
The Cordwainer is More Than Just a Residence
The first thing visitors notice about The Cordwainer is the modern, nature-inspired atmosphere. We’re in Norwell, MA, 30 minutes south of Boston and even closer to the Massachusetts coastline. Our memory care suites connect residents to nature with lovely views, thoughtfully designed interiors, and accessible features like grab bars and extra-wide entryways.
We incorporate innovative and effective ideas, technologies, and practices from across the United States, the U.K., and other parts of Europe into our design and programming. These methods help our residents find purpose and dignity every day.
Our unique memory care assisted living community approaches resident care from a wider angle. It’s about more than medical attention and programming, with comprehensive services personalized for each resident. We also focus on their emotional and social needs with regular activities like exercise classes and fun, supervised day trips.
Our Sensory Activities for Dementia
The Cordwainer has an outdoor courtyard garden and an indoor sensory garden for seniors that encourage year-round stimulation of the senses. The garden has trees, raised planting beds, plants, flowers, and a fountain. Residents can experience the garden hands-on or relax on the benches.
Our memory care services also feature the following:
- Our sensory room for dementia is the perfect spot to relax and rejuvenate. Residents stretch out on comfortable chairs and enjoy hand massages, aromatherapy, and calming music.
- There’s a protected, open terrace on the second floor.
- The Learned Environment℠ is our memory care programming that centers around music, art, and foreign languages. Through this approach, our residents participate in sensory activities that provide a sense of belonging and direction.
- Our Aging Gracefully Memory Care Program offers enhanced services for residents’ evolving needs, with more one-on-one support. Service offerings include a personal music therapist, a higher resident-to-caregiver ratio, and meditation or Reiki services.
If The Cordwainer seems different from other assisted living memory care communities you’ve researched, we’re on the right track. Our residents are lovingly cared for, and their families don’t worry that support services aren’t at the optimum level.
We Invite You to Tour Our Sensory Garden
If you are caring for a loved one with dementia and feel a considerable weight on your shoulders, The Cordwainer can transform day-to-day life into cherished moments. Schedule a visit and see firsthand how our lovely gardens, programs, and caregiving approach build lasting bonds and a sense of joy.
