Design for Nature in Dementia Care

Maintaining a connection to nature is increasingly recognised as an important component of caring for a person with dementia. The benefits of connecting the subjective experience of dementia sufferers with their physical environment include sensory stimulation and enhanced cognitive, psychological and physical well-being, as well as improved behaviour management.Design for Nature in Dementia Care adopts a holistic and person-centred approach to caring for dementia sufferers by considering their emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being. The book provides comprehensive examples of the wide range of ways a person can connect to nature through indoor and outdoor activities, elements and environments, such as caring for house plants and pets, gardening and cooking, practising handicrafts and domestic chores, and offers solutions and insights to a professional understanding of the design of buildings and landscapes.The book draws on interdisciplinary research evidence from environmental psychology, neurology, architecture, nursing and dementia care practice, and spells out practical ways in which care providers and design professionals can design for nature in dementia care.