Yeovil District Hospital has won £49,020 of Lottery funding to create a dementia-friendly garden.
The cash has come from the People's Millions fund, a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and ITV, in which telephone voting from the public helps decide which local community projects receive funding.
The new garden will be specially designed to provide a safe, stimulating and enjoyable outdoor space to be enjoyed by all patients, but particularly those with dementia.
It comes as research shows that being outside and being able to undertake some physical exercise can help to maintain normal sleeping patterns and daily rhythms, improve a person's sense of wellbeing, and help to relieve distress among people with the disease.
Janine Valentine, the hospital's nurse consultant for older people, said: "This project will allow us to create a safe therapeutic space that patients with dementia can visit along with their friends and families. The project will benefit not only patients with dementia, but all patients and visitors within the hospital.
Work on the garden will begin in the New Year. It will feature live music and activities as well as areas where patients can get involved in planting and maintaining the space.
