STAFF and residents at a Taunton care home who have been busy creating a tranquil and productive garden are now offering to share it with other local people living with or caring for someone with dementia at a free new dementia café they have set up.
Abbie Foster, manager of The Rectory, said: “Gardening is a wonderful activity to do with people living with dementia.
“Being outside in nature is calming, with lots of sensory rewards from the feel and smell of the plants and soil on your hands and it’s so lovely seeing our residents engaged in planting, weeding, deadheading, watering or just having a cuppa and watching other people at work.
“Our garden is looking so beautiful that we want to share it and – weather permitting – have started using it as a setting for our recently-established dementia café.”
The café, which is free to attend and aimed at anyone living with or caring for someone with dementia, will be running from 10.30am to 12.30pm every Wednesday until September 25.
Abbie added: “As well as the memory café, people can also find out more about how to plan a dementia-friendly day at The Rectory’s summer fete on Saturday.
“This will run from 11am to 3pm and is always an event with lots of fun activities – a lovely opportunity to engage with the local community.”
Pictured is resident Helen De Courcy.