A day to remember

A generous gift – left to a Victorian aged care facility by a resident who passed away – has made the vision of a dementia friendly garden possible.

The official launch of the renovated gardens at Benetas Colton Close was hosted yesterday, with 3AW presenter, Jane Edmanson, and City of Moreland Mayor, John Kavanagh, initiating proceedings. 

Designed to help with memory loss and dementia, the gardens have plants and materials designed and known to stimulate residents’ memories.

Pictured from left to right is: Robert Boyle from Robert Boyle Landscape and Designs; Benetas general manager of residential services, Jane Boag; 3AW Presenter, Jane Edmanson; and City of Moreland Mayor John Kavanagh.

The opening was held during ‘Include a Charity Week’, with Benetas joining more than 130 other charities aiming to encourage people to think about making a charitable gift in their Wills.

IN BRIEF: New projects champion ‘dementia living’

New South Wales’ HammondCare is another aged care provider helping to reduce barriers often associated with dementia this World Alzheimer’s Day.

HammondCare chief executive, Dr Stephen Judd, says with more than a million Australians likely to be living with dementia by 2050, every opportunity should be taken to consider how to help those affected to enjoy the “best possible quality of life”.

“This means thinking about simple design steps in the home or in residential care. It means making sure what we learn from research is put into practice and that new research is relevant for real people with dementia,” he says.

Some of HammondCare’s dementia-specific projects include a new book outlining 10 helpful hints for dementia design at home and introducing ‘dementia friendly’ food – such as puree diets (which look and taste like the real thing) – at its dementia cottages.