Mary Marshall is a social worker who has worked with older people for most of her professional career. She was the director of the Dementia Services Development Centre at the University of Stirling from 1989 until she retired in 2005, and now writes and lectures in dementia care. Mary chaired the steering group for the new dementia standards in Scotland.
This book is a substantial addition to our knowledge about the importance of the natural environment to people with dementia. It offers a variety of fascinating and thought-provoking perspectives on different cultural and individual perceptions of nature and the outside world. With increasing realisation that it is possible to live well with dementia, this collection of papers should be essential reading on a vital but unexplored aspect of person-centred care. -- Richard Humphries, Assistant Director (Policy), The King's Fund, London Marshall and Gilliard challenge us to think beyond the threshold of the care home and what are all too often poorly utilised token corners of green. They address the consequences of being contained, constrained and chemically controlled, but at its heart is a demand to think big, listen and support people with dementia to benefit from getting outside; is that too much to ask? -- Colm Cunningham, Visiting Professor at the University of Salford and Director, HammondCare Dementia Centre, Australia This wonderful book made my heart sing - a powerful exploration of the rich diversity of our lived experience of the outside world, the connection between mother nature and human nature and our collective need for breathing spaces that we recognise, that can bring a deep sense of familiarity, that let us know we are valid, that our place in a world we recognise is intact. Read this book and be inspired to connect people with dementia to outdoor spaces that will resonate with them – this will change their lives and bring them moments of peace, clarity and well-being. -- Andy Bradley, Founding Director, Frameworks 4 Change This new book is a welcome and refreshing addition to the growing list of titles exploring the experience of dementia and what person-centered care is really about... I would recommend it highly to anyone who works with people with dementia on a day-to-day basis. -- British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing