Dementia-friendly indoor garden opens in South Shields community centre

An indoor garden is aiming to provide people with dementia a place they can go to relax and reminisce.
Ocean Choices new dementia friendly garden room for the service users. Martin Wray with scent boxesOcean Choices new dementia friendly garden room for the service users. Martin Wray with scent boxes
Ocean Choices new dementia friendly garden room for the service users. Martin Wray with scent boxes

Ocean Choices has devised their own plot in Chuter Ede Community Centre, in Galsworthy Road, South Shields.

The specially designed room has been fitted with a garden shed, the sounds of birds and boxes containing tool and garden-shed smells.

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Martin Wray, who runs Ocean Choices, said: “We are well aware people with learning disabilities are more likely to be affected by dementia, in particular those with Down Syndrome.

“We have had people who use our services showing the early signs of dementia as early as 30 years old.”

He added: “The garden project, that we have created is a dementia friendly place and a quiet space where people can come and relax.

“All staff have been trained in dementia awareness,”

The garden room is open every day, from 9am until 3pm and is in addition to it’s recently opened beauty salon - also based within Chuter Ede Community Centre, where people can go for a range of hair and nail treatments.

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Ocean Choices based at the centre in Galsworthy Road, South Shields, provides creative and life skills opportunities to people with learning disabilities.

For more information on Ocean Choices call 0300 128 128 or visit Ocean Choices on Facebook.