Endorsements From Professionals
"Dear Dr. Chalfont
I had the pleasure of hearing your talk at the recent academic meeting in
Trinity Centre, Dublin. I found the content of your presentation very inspiring
and so positive. Your work in this field must be bringing so much happiness to
people who can benefit from such exciting designs. I would love to share some
of the slides you presented with my O.T. students which I teach in the O.T. school
in Trinity.
Not only does your talk centre on the physical design itself but so much
on the client centredness and on the meaningful engagement of people with nature.
I believe the students could benefit from an enhanced knowledge in this area and more
appreciation of the value of considering peoples environments, particularly those
with dementia and the benefits that this can bring.
I wish you the best in your
future work in this area. Many thanks for a lovely talk."
Joan Brangan MSc. MA., Dip COT.
Lecturer, Discipline of Occupational Therapy,
Trinity Centre for Health Sciences,
St. James Hospital Campus,
James St.,
Dublin 8
"In his research on connection to nature and dementia, Dr Chalfont has
displayed both discipline and originality but, more importantly, a
commitment to research aimed directly at improving the quality of life for
people living with dementia."
Dr Clive Baldwin
"Garuth has been actively involved in our plans in Central Lancashire to develop
Older Adult Mental Health Resource centres. His input to the design process has
been invaluable and moved beyond simply thinking about the structure of the
building and it's landscape to thoughts of enshrining the design within the
therapeutic activity in the service itself. His observations within design
meetings, plans and in delivering training and education to staff have both
challenged and opened up new horizons of thinking and possibilities and helped
to forge the development of a cohesive multi-disciplinary service."
Alex Walker, Head of Older People's Services
Chorley & South Ribble NHS Primary Care Trust
"Dr. Chalfont has a rare combination of abilities and expertise
in the field of therapeutic environments for dementia. His direct hands-on experience
caring for older adults with dementia, as well as his academic and professional training
in landscape architecture, make him uniquely suited to provide sensitive, user-oriented,
and professional insights on design projects as well as research initiatives.
Dr. Chalfont’s enthusiasm for this important endeavor will certainly inspire everyone he works with,
leading toward improved quality of life in long term care settings."
Susan Rodiek, Ph.D., NCARB
Associate Director, Center for Health Systems & Design
Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture
Texas A&M University
"Garuth brings tremendous, and infectious, energy and enthusiasm
to his work with people with dementia, and a real determination and commitment
to improve the quality of life for this group of people. His communication skills
are of the highest order: whether talking or listening to older people with dementia,
academic or practitioner colleagues or presenting evidence at conferences
Garuth has a great capacity to engage and enthuse.
He has a clear understanding, and experience of interdisciplinary knowledge
and has a thorough knowledge of state of the art in the broad field of dementia care
as well as his particular research interests.
Whilst he writes to high academic standards, he also manages to write clearly
and to present information in ways accessible to both academic and lay professional groups."
Dr. John Woolham
Senior Research Officer
Community Services
Policy Planning & Performance
Northamptonshire