Gardens in care homes could provide promising therapeutic benefits or patients suffering from dementia, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom found that outdoor spaces can offer environments that promote relaxation, encourage activity and reduce residents' agitation.
Dementia is a global public health priority, with reports suggesting that 7.7 million new cases are identified each year. Almost half of the elderly people living in residential care have dementia or dementia symptoms, a figure which increases to more than three-quarters in nursing homes.

"We think that gardens could be benefitting dementia sufferers by providing them with sensory stimulation and an environment that triggers memories," Rebecca Whear, lead researcher of the study, said in a statement. "They not only present an opportunity to relax in a calming setting, but also to remember skills and habits that have brought enjoyment in the past."

For the study, the research team reviewed the findings from 17 different pieces of research.

Researchers said the study represents the first attempt to bring together findings from a range of studies and has also highlighted several factors that must be overcome if gardens are to be useful in the future care of dementia patients. These include understanding possible hazards that a garden might represent to residents, and ensuring staff have time to let residents enjoy an outdoor space to its full potential.

Despite its positive findings, researchers noted that this area of research is currently understudied and undervalued by policy makers.

"There's a lot we don't know about how a garden's design and setting influence its ability to affect wellbeing, yet it's clear that these spaces need to offer a range of ways of interacting -- to suit different people's preferences and needs," Ruth Garside, an expert in evidence synthesis and one of the paper's authors, said in a statement. "We want to pursue these answers to ensure that care experiences can be maximized for sufferers of dementia, their careers and families."

The findings were recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.