ABSTRACT

SUMMARY. Researchers and designers have recently focused on design of Special Care Units and effects of the environment on people with dementia. However, empirical findings that question the effects of such units on people with dementia are limited. Smaller still are empirical studies with regard to the outdoor environment in facilities housing those in Special Care Units. This research explores the idea that "therapeutic garden" spaces may play an important role in therapeutic restoration of people with dementia, and questions how well such spaces are integrated into the designs of outdoor spaces for this population.