Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow
What is Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow
Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow is an initiative designed to empower people with dementia and their families, foster a sense of purpose and joy, provide opportunities for personal growth, connect with the rhythms and beauty of the natural world, and contribute to positive environmental and community change through the enlivening power of native plant gardens.
Who We Are & Why We Grow
Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow is rooted in the belief that everyone, including those with dementia, has a role in creating healthy ecosystems and contributing to positive environmental change, nurturing native plant gardens, and cultivating meaningful relationships with people and the environment around them.
Our Purpose, Our Passion
Dementia Gardens: A Place to Grow consists of community native plant gardens, programs focused on native plants and pollinators, and an outdoor day program for people living with dementia.
Following a Green Care Farm model, we will provide a dignified outdoor day program for those living with dementia, along with family and community programs, all while fostering connections within our community.
We Need Your Help
We need your financial support. Your generosity will fund essential infrastructure, shelters, and tools.
Your contribution isn’t just an investment; it’s a pledge to nurture a garden of compassion, growth, and unity.
Tributes & Thanks:
Goals of Dementia Gardens
- Community Garden: A welcoming garden space where individuals living with dementia can connect with nature through purposeful and joyful outdoor activities. These gardens offer opportunities for students, community partners, and volunteers to engage together in meaningful, shared experiences rooted in care, growth, and inclusion.
- Gardening Day Program: A weekly outdoor day program specifically designed for individuals living with dementia. The program offers safe, structured, and engaging activities in nature while also providing meaningful respite for care partners.
- Native Plant Nursery: A long-term initiative to cultivate native plants that support local ecosystems and benefit the broader Thunder Bay community. This nursery complements the Dementia Gardens by promoting environmental sustainability and biodiversity.
- Education & Recreation: Hands-on, sensory-rich programming that brings together people living with dementia, students, care partners, and community members to learn, grow, and enjoy nature-based activities that spark joy, connection, and curiosity.
- Biodiversity: Native plant gardens nurture healthy ecosystems by supporting local wildlife, including pollinators, and by reducing the spread of invasive species, helping to protect and restore the natural environment.
