Elderly sell cakes for dementia-friendly sensory garden

CHEESECAKE is helping elderly residents raise funds for a dementia friendly sensory garden and room at their Rotherham care home.

Residents from Broadacres Care Home, on Naylor Street, Parkgate, raised over £200 selling cakes at the Rawmarsh Ashwood Primary School summer fair.

Elieen Staniforth, 92, Arwel Edwards, 76, and Roy Mace, 83, manned their cake stall for the afternoon.

They also sold handmade greetings cards and dishcloths knitted by the care home’s residents.

Eileen said: “I really enjoyed seeing the children having fun and being out in the sunshine. It was such a wonderful afternoon.”

Both Arwel and Roy could be heard throughout the afternoon shouting “cakes and cheesecakes for sale. Come and get your home made cheesecakes.”

Arwel added: “Can we do this same time next week?”

Annelise Eccles, activities coordinator at Broadacres Care Home, said: “We wanted to raise money to help build a sensory garden and room for our wonderful residents in their home. This money will really help us along the way.”

A dementia-friendly sensory garden is an outdoor space designed with plants, textures, sounds, and scents to stimulate the senses and evoke memories, providing a calming and therapeutic environment for those with dementia.

Similarly, an indoor sensory room is equipped with lights, sounds, and tactile objects to create a soothing and stimulating atmosphere, aimed at improving mood and cognitive function in individuals with dementia.

Dawn Paley, home manager at Broadacres Care Home, said: “We are continuing the fundraise for our sensory garden and room, with other activities planned throughout the summer.

“We’d like to thank Rawmarsh Ashwood Primary School and all the wonderful children, parents, and staff for allowing us to take part in their summer fair.

“The residents and staff all had a wonderful time and are looking forward to next year’s event already.”