05

THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES

a garden design for alzheimer’s patientsr e s e a r c h & d e s i g n s y n t h e s i s

in dedication to Vollmar Keonaona Crabbe

aiea, hawaii

Alzheimer’s is a disease that attacks the brain, it’s the most common form of dementia. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and the only one in the top ten that has no cure, prevention, or way of slowing. Cross-disciplinary studies between the medical field and landscape architecture prove that natural light, designing for the senses and contemplative

spaces are linked to reduced patient recovery time. The majority of our design profession has focused their efforts towards an institutionalized setting such as hospitals, and care home facilities for different types of patients dealing with various diseases.

According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, “Landscape architects design therapeutic gardens for use in nursing homes, which are not only known to decrease the symptoms of the patients suffering from neurological disorders like

dementia and Alzheimer’s, but also decrease the stress and anxiety of the care-takers and nurses in these facilities. ”Landscape Architecture can set a new paradigm shift for healthcare design that integrates healing gardens as part of a residential design

typology.

BRAILLEHANDRAILS

GAZEBO INTERACTIVE COLOR RESIN PANELS

INTERACTIVE RECLAIMEDWOOD BENCHES

BAMBOO & RIVER ROCK MATERIALS

BRIDGE

SHADE STRUCTURES& SEATING

PLANT TOUCHINGOPPORTUNITIES

REFLECTIVEPOOLS

PLANTS IN LARGE POTS

PLANTS AT ALL LEVELS

SENSORYFEATURE

$203 billion healthcare costs

currently affecting 5.4 million

3%

10%

11%

75%lives with

family / friends

live alone

lives in assisted living facility

lives with caregiver

=

memory loss

difficulty in concentrating

confusion

disorientation of time and location

personality changes

92%

71%

63%

53%

31%

Risk FactorsA G E Advanced age is the most important known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

G E N D E R Significantly more women than men have Alzheimer’s disease. History of H E A D T R A U M A

being unconsciousness lasting longer than 30 minutes

G E N E S Early onset has been linked to mutations in chromosomes 1, 14, & 21. Late onset has been linked to mutations in chromosome 19.

F A M I L Y H I S T O R Y of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

1

2

3

Stages of Alzheimer’s2 - 4 yrs recent memory loss begins toaffect job performance

2 - 10 yrs increasing memory loss and confusion

1 - 3 yrs can’t recognize family or self in mirror

86%

StrokeCLRDAccidents

DiabetesAlzheimer’s

Flu & PneumoniaNephritis

Septicemia

CancerHeart Disease

>66>66>86>86

visualstimulation

olfactorystimulation

gustatorystimulation

tactilestimulation

second most vibrant source of

sensory stimulation

anything that touches us can be

stimulating

related to smell and may be the

most pleasurable of our senses

stirs strongest memories and

channels reminiscenses

most important sense in which we

gain most of our information

-w a t e r f e a t u r e s -n a t u r e s o u n d s

-c o l o r -s i t e a m e n i t i e s

-m a t e r i a l s -t e x t u r e s

-e d i b l e s -v e g e t a b l e g a r d e n

-p l a n t t y p e-a r o m a t h e r a p y

Socialize ContemplateExercise Relax

-g a z e b o-v i e w s

-s e a t i n g -s h a d e

-m e d i t a t i o n s p a c e-g r a s s y f i e l d

-q u i e t c o m m u n i t y

-s e a t i n g-g a t h e r i n g s p a c e

-s c u l p t u r e s

-b i r d b a t h s -b u t t e r f l y g a r d e n

-a r o m a t h e r a p y g a r d e n

-h a n d r a i l s -l o o p e d p a t h w a y s

-p a v i n g

auditorystimulation

interact with nature and wildlife

GROUND PLANTER BED

SEATING INCORPORATEDIN PLANTER

WIRE GRID SCREEN

LIGHT TUBES INSERTED INTO

POCKETSVINES

green wall trellis system and seating detail

PLANTINGS

STRUCTURAL CORTEN STEEL

WALLS

36” GROWING MEDIUM

CONCRETE SEATING

RIVER ROCK

STONEPAVING

FILTERFABRIC

3/8” TO 5/8” DIAMETERGRAVEL OR OTHER

APPROVED MATERIAL,MIN 1’ THICKNESS

EXISTINGSOIL

backyard planter detail

5’

2”

WATERRETURN

3 FT WATERVOLUME

SUBGRADEAERATED BOTTOM DRAIN

VORTEX BIO CHAMBER

WASTE DRAIN

WATER PUMP

AERATED BIO CHAMBER

PLANTINGS

koi pond water feature detail

view of front yard aroma garden view of front entrance

view of vegetable gardenview of wildlife garden