A local retirement home is raising $20,000 for a dementia-friendly garden.
Rosewood Manor has been organizing a series of fundraisers to pay for improvements to its koi pond garden, which is more than a decade old. So far, it has raised around $6,000 in total.
The garden is designed to cater to the needs of the care home’s residents, many of which have dementia.
“Towards the end of this stage of their life, (residents) are not able to communicate with us verbally, but human beings communicate (in) all sorts of different ways. So you can touch, you can see, you can hear, you can taste,” explained Jocelyne Wong, executive director of Rosewood Manor.
Features of the garden include a koi pond, where residents can feed the fish, and edible plants for those interested in tasting them.
It was also important to include a circular path that allows residents to walk independently in a safe environment.
The garden recently got new flooring and a new gardener and funds raised will go toward more improvements such as cleaning and painting the trellis and birdhouses. Wong also hopes these improvements will encourage residents and their families to enjoy more time outside.
Last week, Rosewood Manor held a 70s night-themed fundraiser at the Buck & Ear pub in Steveston, where it raised around $5,000.
More than 100 community members showed up to enjoy a night of nostalgic fun with a costume contest and door prizes. One participant who won the 50/50 raffle even donated her winnings back to the care home.
Wong told the Richmond News that the fundraising committee was surprised and pleased about the turnout and community support for the home, especially because it was their first foray into fundraising.
“I’m very appreciative of the families who came out, and they brought their friends,” she said.
“And I just want to thank the community.”
She added that fundraising efforts were also a means for Rosewood Manor to rebuild the relationship between staff, families and the local community.
The care home is expected to hold more fundraisers later this year. To learn more about Rosewood Manor and to donate, click here.
