The meaning of gardens in aged care: Residents' landscape experience in Australian facilities

This research explores Australian Aged Care residents' landscape experience. The findings suggest that gardens within aged-care facilities foster critical activities associated with homemaking. Residents develop a sense of ownership and agency within the landscape and recall significant memories, especially after relocation in later life. The study concludes with recommendations to transform current understandings of therapeutic landscapes, broadening the medicalised understanding of health, in order to create more "healthful landscapes". This research argues for future design to provide a holistic landscape experience by integrating emotional, social and sensory landscape experiences for residents within aged-care facilities