New garden at St Clare’s

RESIDENTS at St Clare’s Nursing Home on Griffith Avenue are hoping for a long summer so they can spend as much time as possible enjoying Ireland’s first ever Dementia Friendly Garden.

The Northside nursing home that cares for 35-40 elderly residents won the garden in a competition run by Sonas, TrinityHaus and Newtown Saunders. And it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The nursing home had already started a fund to improve its garden and spent years holding raffles, fairs and other events to raise money for the project.

Last year they came across the competition and decided to enter. So staff and residents were delighted when they found out they’d won and would only have to pay for materials for their garden.

St Clare’s activity co-ordinator, Hilary Kingston, described he new garden as a “huge achievement” for St Clare’s.

“First of all, to have the vision to want to change our garden and also the dedication of people to see it through to end, like Helen Thompson who has fundraised tirelessly and should be given a medal,” she said.

“Now our lovely elderly residents have the opportunity to sit out, get involved in gardening, dancing and singing and have ice-cream parties when the sun shines.

“The benefits to the residents are beyond words.”

The garden is full of colour and fragrance and filled with the sound of water from fountains. 

The sights and sounds and smells of the garden are designed to pique the senses providing an ideal way to enjoy the moment.  

“They live in the moment, so let’s give them as many moments as possible,” said Hilary.