Thurrock Community Hospital to Create Dementia-Friendly Garden

Dementia patients and their carers both at Thurrock Community Hospital and in the local community will benefit from a new garden facility being created especially for them within the hospital grounds.

Work will begin in the New Year and the garden – which will also be open to the general public - will incorporate circular paths with safety surfaces and seating areas all surrounded by secure fencing. Flowers and shrubs will be planted to attract wildlife and there are plans to install a refreshment hut as well as the possibility of providing entertainment such as open air concerts.

Dee Susans, Ward Manager, said, “The aim is to provide a stimulating, interesting and secure garden so that anyone in the area can bring a relative or friend suffering from dementia to enjoy the garden and know that they will be completely safe”.   

The project has only been made possible through £100,000 of funding from the Kings Fund under The Healing Environment initiative along with £120,000 of funding from Veolia North Thames Trust whose Chairman, Doug Benjafield, said: “This is an important initiative that will enable Thurrock Community Hospital to increase the range of vital services and enhance the excellent standards of care it already provides to dementia sufferers and their carers throughout the Borough. I should like to acknowledge the work and vision of the Hospital’s project team and look forward to seeing the benefit that this garden facility will bring to a large number of people”.  

Thurrock Community Hospital provides residential care for around 50 dementia patients and a large number of day patients.

ENDS