‘Sod Cutting’ Ceremony in East
Belfast Marks The Start Of A
“Magical Memory Garden”
Palmerston Care Home in East Belfast recently marked the start of its Magical
Memory Garden with a traditional “sod cutting” with Communities Minister Paul
Givan MLA. The memory garden aims to help residents living with dementia.
A number of funders including Groundwork NI, Alpha Fund, Belfast City Council
and Belfast City Airport, who have been instrumental in the fundraising efforts
for the garden, were also in attendance at the event.
Mrs Geraldine Gilpin, Chief Executive of Abbeyfield & Wesley Housing
Association, which owns and manages Palmerston Care Home, explained why the
Magical Memory Garden is important.
She said: “We were keen to create a magical space for residents, their families
and friends, and one which can also be used by people in the community with
dementia and their carers. For people living with dementia it is important to
stimulate different senses.
“They may forget where they are living in time and place, but they can recognise
and experience aspects of a garden – the open sky, sounds of the outside
environment, and trees blowing in the wind. This is a freedom we can all connect
with.”
Mrs Gilpin continued: “The memory garden’s pathways and areas will flow from
one to another with no dead ends which would be a barrier for someone with
dementia. It is important to recognise that Palmerston is about creating
different environments for different people.
“Everybody is an individual and everybody’s dementia is different. Each of our
residents is at a different stage of dementia and needs a different stage of care
and assistance. It is important to have a range of activities and solutions for these
various stages, so we will have a caravan to remember “days out”, a car for the
men to polish and sit in, areas for growing vegetables, a farmyard area, quiet
spaces.
Groundwork NI will be responsible for the garden’s creation and it is due for
completion in Spring 2017.
Commenting on the plans for the Magical Memory Garden, Paul Givan MLA,
Minister for Communities, said: “I commend Abbeyfield and Wesley for their work
on this innovative scheme which will provide a peaceful haven for dementia
sufferers and their families and carers.”
Palmerston Care Home is a purpose built care provision located on the
Palmerston Road in East Belfast. The 38 bed facility incorporates 20 dementia
beds and 18 residential beds.
Palmerston Residential Home caters for people who may be; frail elderly; require
dementia care; have a physical disability; have a sensory impairment and are
unable to live independently. There are two separate wings within Palmerston
Care Home, one for those with advanced dementia (the Lewis wing) and the other
for frail elderly people who may have less advanced dementia.
For further information log onto www.abbeyfieldandwesley.org.ukor telephone
Abbeyfield & Wesley Society on 028 93363558.