Husband creates sensory garden for wife with Alzheimer’s

A LOCAL man has created a memory sensory garden for his wife who is living with Alzheimer’s – helping to encourage her to use her senses to recall positive memories.

David Walker is also promoting the benefits of early diagnosis of dementia – using his garden to share his message and encourage others to seek help and support.

The memory sensory garden, designed by David, reflects moments from David and Georgina’s life together, with the overall design based on a Japanese-style garden they had at their previous home in Lincolnshire.

Elements of the garden also represent happy memories, with one section designed to remind them both of the golden sands of Seaton Carew where the couple used to court and live after they were married. Another area represents the white beaches of Boa Vista, a holiday that David and Georgina took together when she was more engaged with her surroundings.

“Georgina was formally diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in 2013, shortly after we moved to Melksham,” explained David, “She is now at advanced later stage Alzheimer’s. As her memory and sensory function started to decline, it became important to find different ways of maintaining her memories and mobility, and her ability to comprehend what was happening around her.

“I decided that the garden needed to be part of this process, and that referencing the design from our previous garden would be the starting point.

“A memory sensory garden is something that helps those with many forms of dementia to remember. For example, the scent of various flowers and herbs, to remember the feeling of sand between bare toes, the sound of different underfoot surfaces, the sound of trickling water. All of these sensory experiences can awaken the memory centres of the brain and engage those with varying stages of dementia in responses that are both physical and emotional.

“Depending on the weather, the garden can be a focal point of Georgina’s day. She enjoys walking around the various sections that have been created, and especially being able to sit on the stone bench where she can see the fountain. There’s also lots of lavender, which is Georgina’s favourite scent. If the weather is unsuitable for her to be outside, she can still enjoy the garden from the conservatory.”

David’s sensory garden  for his wife recently grabbed the attention of Melksham in Bloom judges who awarded him joint first place in the ‘Small Rear Garden’ category and first place for ‘Best Water Feature’.

Whilst the couple enjoy their back garden together, David is using his front garden to promote awareness.

“I am using the front garden to promote early diagnosis of dementia, rather than leave it too late” he said. “Our lives would have been totally different if we had got an early diagnosis.

“Passers-by will see a different quote about dementia every few weeks in a picture frame on top of the gas meter. This is my own little initiative – if someone thinks there is something not quite right with their partner or relative, hopefully this will encourage them to seek help. An early diagnosis is not the end of the world, you can live your life well for as long as possible.”