A study on care home gardens for older people

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Gardens in care homes for older people and their association with the health and wellbeing of residents

• IRAS ID

  254647

• Contact name

  Deborah Harrop

• Contact email

  djharrop1@sheffield.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University of Sheffield

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  N/A, N/A

• Duration of Study in the UK

  5 years, 10 months, 29 days

• Research summary

  In the UK there are more than 400,000 people aged 65 years and over living in care homes and almost one in five of the UK population will die in this environment. Residents may have a range of health conditions such as dementia, immobility, depression, cancers. The places in which we live are known to affect our physical, mental and social wellbeing. Whilst indoor environments within care homes have been well investigated; less is understood about gardens in care homes and how they might affect the health and wellbeing of residents. There is a widespread belief that nature and the outdoor environment is good for our health, but overall, the research evidence is inconclusive and there is a need to describe the range and use of the care home gardens and understand residents' experiences of gardens in relation to their health and wellbeing.

  The study will explore how gardens in care homes for older people might support the health and wellbeing of residents. To do this we will:

   collect information about the garden,
   observe residents using the garden,
   ask residents to tell us about their experience of using the garden
   ask staff and family and friends of residents to tell us about residents' experiences of using the garden,
   ask residents to share relevant information from medical/care home notes.
  
  The study will help residents, relatives/partners/friends of residents, and care homes staff to understand how gardens in care homes affect health and wellbeing. It will also give residents, staff, and relatives/partners/friends of participants the opportunity to take part in a study and tell us about their experience of using care home gardens. The work will also influence national policy and the organisations that run care homes.

• REC name

  Social Care REC

• REC reference

  19/IEC08/0009

• Date of REC Opinion

  1 Oct 2019

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion