- mecwacare has opened a new sensory garden at its Park Hill Residential Aged Care home in Mornington, expanding its Nature-Based Sensory Program following successful pilots at two other homes.
- The programme uses gardening, sensory experiences and outdoor activities — including engagement with colourful flowers, textured plants, fragrant herbs and natural sounds — to improve wellbeing for people living with dementia.
- Staff have observed the programme reducing anxiety, agitation and restlessness in residents, whilst encouraging conversation, positive reminiscing and meaningful connection.
- Developed in partnership with It's Naturally You, the programme is based on international research into nature-based interventions and has been adapted specifically for residential aged care settings.
- mecwacare is embedding the programme into everyday care across its residential homes, rather than treating it as an occasional activity, reflecting its commitment to evidence-based, non-pharmacological approaches to dementia care.
mecwacare’s nature program delivering remarkable benefits for residents living with dementia
mecwacare has officially opened a new sensory garden at its Park Hill Residential Aged Care home in Mornington, bringing the therapeutic benefits of nature directly to residents and creating opportunities for connection, engagement and wellbeing for people living with dementia.
Following the success of a pilot program at Annie’s Court Residential Aged Care home in Shoreham and Allanvale in Altona Meadows, the innovative Nature-Based Sensory Program is now being rolled out across more mecwacare residential aged care homes. The initiative reflects mecwacare's commitment to evidence-based, non-pharmacological approaches to dementia care that support emotional wellbeing, reduce distress and enhance quality of life.
“The results of our Nature-Based Sensory Program have been remarkable and demonstrate the value of looking beyond traditional models of dementia care,” said Gaye Sheppard, Head of Service Excellence and Enablement.
"We've seen first-hand how spending time in nature can help reduce anxiety, agitation and restlessness while encouraging conversation, meaningful connection and positive memories. These are moments that make a real difference to a person's everyday experience.
"Expanding this program across our residential aged care homes reflects mecwacare's commitment to delivering innovative, evidence-based care that supports the whole person.
“Our goal is to create environments where people living with a dementia can continue to experience joy, purpose and meaningful connection every day," Gaye said.
The Nature-Based Sensory Program is delivered in partnership with It's Naturally You, the program uses gardening, sensory experiences and immersive outdoor activities to improve the wellbeing of people living with a dementia.
Director of It's Naturally You, Rob Richards, said the partnership highlighted the enormous potential of nature to improve the lives of people living with dementia.
The program was developed using international research showing the benefits of nature-based interventions for older people living with dementia and was adapted specifically for residential aged care.
The purpose-built sensory gardens have been designed to engage multiple senses through colourful flowers, textured plants, natural sounds and fragrant herbs including lavender, rosemary, mint and lemon balm. These familiar sights, sounds and scents can stimulate memory recall, encourage positive reminiscing and support meaningful engagement for people living with a dementia.
"What has been particularly exciting is seeing mecwacare embrace a whole-of-organisation approach to nature-based care. Rather than treating these activities as occasional lifestyle programs, they are embedding them into everyday care so more residents can experience the wellbeing benefits,” Rob said.
"We're delighted that the success of the pilot has led to the program being expanded across mecwacare's residential homes, allowing more older people living with a dementia to benefit from meaningful connections with nature.”
Stephanie Xydias, mecwacare’s Clinical Services Design Transformation Specialist and dementia practice lead, drives innovation in evidence-based dementia care. She has worked closely with Rob Richards and the mecwacare team to develop and embed the Nature-Based Sensory Program at Park Hill.
"Nature has an incredible ability to calm, engage and reconnect people with their memories, senses and the world around them. Even simple experiences like tending a garden, feeling the texture of leaves, smelling fresh herbs and flowers, or listening to birds can spark conversation, reduce distress and create moments of genuine joy,” Stephanie said.
“People living with a dementia often experience changes in how they interpret and engage with the world around them. The success of the pilot program has shown that nature-based sensory experiences can become an important part of everyday dementia care, enhancing quality of life for residents while also creating opportunities for families and staff to connect alongside them."
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About mecwacare
mecwacare is a leading not-for-profit supporting people with home care, retirement living, residential aged care and community services. Every week, more than 20,000 people are cared for by our dedicated employees and volunteers across Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Contact details:
Carol Balfre – mecwacare Communications Manager
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M 0411 471 785
