Hospital's secret garden helping dementia patients

A sensory garden tucked away inside the grounds of a city hospital has become an important refuge for people living with dementia.

The garden at Bristol Royal Infirmary's (BRI) Heart Institute is used by local charity Alive to provide dementia-friendly gardening sessions.

Seasonal vegetables and herbs are grown in the garden that also has a living wall.

"Some of our patients are in hospital for a very long time and don't get to go outside very often and the benefit of getting off the ward, getting daylight and interaction is huge," said Linda Hodgkinson from the BRI's dementia care team.

She added: "We have patients that haven't spoken for weeks after the shock of coming in to hospital but they come into the garden and they talk, it's just amazing.

"I would do it 24 hours a day if I could, every week that I do it I have a little cry because it's a really emotional project.

"When you take someone who's quite down, a little bit sad from the ward and you bring them outside or to a space where they can do an activity, their demeanour changes, their face changes, they get involved and they start talking."

Dementia affects a little under 10% of adults over the age of 65.

There is no cure but treatments can ease some of the symptoms.

"Hospitals can be very hectic and disorientating," said Abi Sweet, community gardening manager at Alive.

"By working with the plants and the seasonal activities that we're supporting people with they can really feel grounded in who and where they are and the lovely people they're surrounded by.

"It's also lovely to see how family members join in with these groups they see their old mum and dad or their old partner come back and they see that person again, it really lifts everyone's mood."