A garden of ideas: exploring dementia care through a creative workshop

As a member of the EMPOWER Dementia Network Plus, Rowcroft recently hosted a creative workshop in Torquay that brought together local people with experience of dementia to imagine a brighter future for dementia care. Led by Rowcroft nurse Anna Cawrse and Dr Gill Horne, Programme Director – Care Services, the workshop provided an inspiring opportunity for participants to share their ideas and collaborate on shaping more inclusive, high quality care.

A creative approach

Using the metaphor of a thriving garden, participants explored ways to improve dementia care in creative and meaningful ways. They developed their own ‘pollinators’ (an essential part of plant production to help gardens grow), to represent the essential elements for positive change. They placed ‘tools’ in a symbolic tool shed, identifying the resources and support needed to cultivate excellent care. And they discussed what needed to be tossed onto the ‘compost heap’, discarding things that were unhelpful in dementia care. In addition, they crafted their own manifesto statements for a future where dementia care is both inclusive and transformative.

Towards a national manifesto on dementia care

The insights and ideas generated at the workshop will combine with contributions from similar workshops across the UK. Together, these outputs will feed into a national manifesto created by the EMPOWER dementia network. The manifesto will inform research priorities and shape policies to ensure dementia care evolves to meet the needs of all individuals and their families.

“Workshops like this are so important because they give people with lived experience of dementia the chance to have their voices and ideas heard,” said Dr Gill Horne. “By bringing together people with dementia, carers, and professionals, we can co-produce a vision that addresses inequalities and ensures that future dementia care is not only of high quality but also inclusive and accessible. At Rowcroft Hospice, we’re proud to be part of this movement, working towards a brighter future where everyone’s needs are met, and no one is left behind.”

“It was an inspiring privilege to be part of the workshop,” said Rowcroft nurse Anna Cawrse. “It highlighted to me the fundamental importance of keeping those with lived experience of dementia at the centre of all future care planning.”

This work aligns with Rowcroft’s efforts to contribute to the dementia agenda for Devon. On 25 March 2025, the hospice is hosting its second Dementia and Palliative Care Conference, highlighting the vital role of palliative care in enhancing the lives of those living with dementia.