Dr. Chalfont creates therapeutic care environments for people with dementia, especially designed to provide the benefits of nature and the outdoors. His design philosophy promotes activity with meaning and purpose, for rehabilitation and wellbeing, regardless of disability or impairment. His landscapes are normal, familiar garden spaces that inspire, and entice residents and staff outside. Designs are informed by time spent understanding daily life in care environments. He works with staff, families and management to improve the quality of care through training, support and enhancing the physical environment. By integrating the design of landscape and architecture, his designs enable optimal use of both indoors and outdoors for connection to nature. Built projects include day care, residential care, nursing care and hospital settings. Dr. Chalfont is published and acknowledged internationally for his expertise on design and his efforts to evolve care practice and management. His book "Design for Nature in Dementia Care" (Jessica Kingsley, 2008) was recently translated as "Naturgestutzte Therapie" (Huber, 2010) for therapeutic horticulture practice in Germany. www.chalfontdesign.com

Maintaining a connection to nature is increasingly recognised as an important component of caring for a person with dementia. The benefits of connecting the subjective experience of dementia sufferers with their physical environment include sensory stimulation and enhanced cognitive, psychological and physical well-being, as well as improved behaviour management. approach to caring for dementia sufferers by considering their emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being. The book provides comprehensive examples of the wide range of ways a person can connect to nature through indoor and outdoor activities, elements and environments, such as caring for house plants and pets, gardening and cooking, practising handicrafts and domestic chores, and offers solutions and insights to a professional understanding of the design of buildings and landscapes. psychology, neurology, architecture, nursing and dementia care practice, and spells out practical ways in which care providers and design professionals can design for nature in dementia care.